The Decemberists are a unique group. Although you may not recognize the name, once you hear one of their songs, you’ll never confuse them with anyone else again. Their seventh album, “What a Terrible World, What a Beautiful World,” released Jan. 20, is witty, emotional and a step away from what they were.

Hailing from Portland, Oregon, the band is composed of lead singer Colin Meloy, keyboardist/accordionist Jenny Conlee, multi-instrumentalist Chris Funk and drummer John Moen. The group’s first foray into the music world was “Castaways and Cutouts.” Their most popular album, released in 2005, is “The King Is Dead.”

For new listeners, “Down By The Water” from “The King is Dead” embodies the essence of the band’s spirit. The song combines quick lyrical changes and a nod to the band members’ multi-instrument skill in accordion and guitar. Fortunately for fans, the elements that made “The King is Dead” great carry over to “What A Terrible World, What a Beautiful World,” which is sure to entice the new and satisfy the long-time listeners.

The album opens with “Lake Song.” The piano, bass and drums all play key roles here. Meloy’s perfectly timed breaks allow for the moments of clarity that so obviously define The Decemberists as a whole. It’s not the quickest-paced, but it changes melodies often enough so as to not be boring. And the lyrical mastery, displayed in such lines as “and you/all sibylline/reclining in your pew/you tattered me/you tethered me to you,” are poignant and emotive when coupled with the background instrumentals.

“Make You Better” starts off in a slow, enticing build-up. The lead singer’s voice sounds as sweet as honey; stripped-down and melodious, the crooning Meloy cuts right through the bleak background composition. “I loved you in springtime/I lost you when spring came/I needed you to make me better” pull the heart strings, as longing and regret reverberate through his vocal chords. This song makes no promises. It is a step towards the several different genres—roots rock, alt-country, folk—but they pull it off.

The song’s title begs a simple request, but perhaps not so easily accomplished. As the album’s edgiest track, Meloy’s lyrics cut through any weariness. With vocal expertise, he glides through lines such as, “I sung you your twinges, I suffered you your tattletales/and when you broke sideways/I wanted you/I needed you,” which couple sentiment with rhetoric.

“The Wrong Year” brings a subtle Van Morrison vibe. Though the high points are less notable than “Make You Better,” the song makes for easy listening. The bluesy guitar riffs couple perfectly with the intricate, story-book lyrics that include the lines, “I’ll sleep all winter long/till then I can only be/nobody’s gonna intervene.” In a way, the cutting simplicity of the instrumentals and how it meshes with lyrics summarize the best parts of the album.

“What a Terrible World, What a Beautiful World,” is The Decemberists’ answer to a four-year hiatus. Although perhaps not as vanguard as one of their past works, it tells a more personal, accessible story, woven in with bits of familiarity in their lyrical prowess.