Yeah I didnt know this either. considering Drozd has a long history of substance abuse I’m guessing that maybe he relapsed. I hope hes OK. it’s been 5 years since the last record which is a very long break for them. So maybe that is it for them. Wayne just tours and they stop making new material, or they just slow down productivity a lot.
I think Michael Irvin was mostly the bass player live, but in the studio he was primarily the recording engineer. at least for a while anyway, who knows what goes on with the band in these chaotic later years.

I never got all the decemberists hype. i dont hate them or anything, they have a perfectly nice sound and Colin Meloy is a fine songwriter. but only a handful of their songs really ever stuck with me, and the one that stuck with me the most is “Crane Wife 3” which always reminds me of a slowed down version of the end of “Harry Hood” by Phish which I prefer.