The Decemberists - "The Crane Wife"

[Elgyn]

AMAZING album. I`d never heard of this band a day in my life, until a magazine I read listed this album as the #1 best record of 2006. So I went out and got it and boy am I glad I did. Fans of Arcade Fire will like it. When the album first starts, it sounds a little "folksy", but don`t worry it`s actually really cool.

Anyone else hear this yet?

[Jamesadin]

F, this album is awesome. Defenitely my #1 for 2006!

There are some pretty killer songs on here, including the two "sprawling epics".

"Sons and Daughters" is also one of the best album-enders that i've heard in all my days.


"By land, by sea, by dirigible! We'll leave our tracks untracible, now!"

Soo good.

[JCPhoenix]

To be honest, I found Picaresque sort of mediocre but I really enjoyed this new album of theirs, I think it's a significant improvement over their earlier stuff which felt just a little too...kitschy for me I guess.

Then again, I enjoy The Extraordinaires who are probably even more kitschy then the Decemberists so wudda I know :p

[Jamesadin]

I would say you're right on the money about Picaresque. This album is alot more coherent as a whole.

[XHendrix24]

The singer's voice just of grates on my nerves when I listen to them for too long.

Really good CD, though.

[someguy]

Picaresque is their peak record, The Crane Wife was a major disappointment. Except for The Landlord's Daughter there was nothing remotely enticing in that album. It was mostly a lot of uninteresting songs.

[Brando @$$ Fat]

The only Decemberists song I like is "Billy Liar," which was off of "Her Majesty the Decemberists" I believe. I can definitely understand why people like them, but I never got swept into the craze.

[<3mekthx]

I'm a really big fan of Picaresque. Been meaning to pick The Crane Wife up for a while now. I haven't really heard too many great things about it.

[therealjohng]

What kind of music are these guys? I've heard of them, but never gotten around to listening to them.

[Lazy Boy]

I love the song "We Both Go Down Together," but I'm not familiar with any of their other work. I should just sample Crane on iTunes.

[Jamesadin]

Originally posted by therealjohng
What kind of music are these guys? I've heard of them, but never gotten around to listening to them.

Sort of Indie/Folk Rock...

I don't know, they're really good, though. Definitly check out the "O Valencia!" or "Sixteen Military Wives" video to see if you like them.

[therealjohng]

Originally posted by Jamesadin
Sort of Indie/Folk Rock...

I don't know, they're really good, though. Definitly check out the "O Valencia!" or "Sixteen Military Wives" video to see if you like them.


Will do.

[Jamesadin]

HERE (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tK3Ce9md96g) is the Sixteen Military Wives video.

[Psychocandy]

Originally posted by someguy
Picaresque is their peak record, The Crane Wife was a major disappointment. Except for The Landlord's Daughter there was nothing remotely enticing in that album. It was mostly a lot of uninteresting songs.

That's exactly how I felt. After a few spins though it started to grow on me. Previously mediocre songs took shape and buried hooks clawed their way to the surface. I wouldn't quite put it in the same class as Picaresque. Something that is perhaps more to do with how fresh Picaresque sounded when I discovered it. Quite unlike anything I had heard before. But it's a great album and I urge you to give it some more time. I saw them live last week (see my MyJoblo blog page for a review) and the album really makes a lot of sense live. Still...there are a couple of songs on there that simply refuse to make the transition from annoying to endearing. Especially Perfect Crime #2 with it's irritatingly repetitive chorus. But perhaps you've already given it a lot of your time. Maybe it's really not for you.

[therealjohng]

Yeah, they're not bad.

[someguy]

Originally posted by Psychocandy
But perhaps you've already given it a lot of your time. Maybe it's really not for you.

Exactly that, The Decemberists became one of my top listened to artists because of hearing the album so many times. Picaresque is a great album that I still haven't gotten sick of, but The Crane Wife is the opposite for me. I found it very forgettable. Not the biggest disappointment from last year (that goes to Amputechture) but up there.

[Psychocandy]

Originally posted by someguy
Exactly that, The Decemberists became one of my top listened to artists because of hearing the album so many times. Picaresque is a great album that I still haven't gotten sick of, but The Crane Wife is the opposite for me. I found it very forgettable. Not the biggest disappointment from last year (that goes to Amputechture) but up there.

That's cool. I'm just digging it so much I wanted to try to convince you to give it another go. But if you do ever get the chance to see them live don't pass up on that chance because you don't like The Crane Wife much. I promise that you'll have a great time. They are an awesome live band.

[pantsonfire]

i've loved this band for quite a while, i'm glad to see other people are catching on

[Elgyn]

Wow, so apparently according to some of you their older album(s) were better, I`ll have to check them out. Cause if "Crane Wife" is dissapointing in comparison, then I need to hear this older stuff!

[Psychocandy]

Originally posted by Elgyn
Wow, so apparently according to some of you their older album(s) were better, I`ll have to check them out. Cause if "Crane Wife" is dissapointing in comparison, then I need to hear this older stuff!

The Crane Wife is a little disappointing when measure against Picaresque (their last album) but it measures well against their first two albums. But that said...Picaresque was a work of majestic genius. So suggesting that The Crane Wife isn't as good is not a criticism.

[Superplasmatron]

they are only of any interest to me cause Petra used to be in them