Review 1 of 12

MXWest writes:

5of 5 Stars

I hear everyone from Steve Goodman to Pink Floyd to U2 to who knows what all else in here. Might be the last great album. Not sure what to make of the juxtaposition of the story of the Crane Wife (a tale of Japanese origin methinks) with the (apparently?) Civil War going on whilst waiting beside an (apparently?) anachronistic car for Valencia in what I suppose is concept album. Might be one of the last great albums if iTunes has anything to say about it. Shame, really.

Jun 5, 2007 09:05:46

Review 2 of 12

Danholio writes:

3of 5 Stars

I must say, it appears to me that you're all wrong. In fact, I registered for the sole purpose of saying this.

This album is a good bit overrated by critics for many of the reasons cited by the angry poor dude. Apparently if you're not destitute you got no problems, thanks for leting me know. As an aside, poor student type people (read art students) seem to me to be some of the most self-centered people with no conception of the world around them. Also I haven't noticed that the Decembersits songs are all that melancholy about the bands actual life, they are more about fictional characthers. The lyrics are too bizarre to interpret in many cases in any event and its clear to me that at times they are trying way too hard in some songs.

For some reason Pavement pulled this off way better, with much more of a wink to their over-the-top lyrics. Plus they were so much more catcthy.

However, at their best the instrumentation and playful lyrics can be great. See the little cited "Sporting Life" for a great pop tune. Also, We Both Go Down Together, The Mariner's Revenge Song, Grace Cathedral Hill, The Legionnaire's Lament, The Bagman's Gambit all very enjoyable in an unorthodox popy way.

Admittedly I have only listened to this baby all the way through twice, but its pretty unremarkably droll stuff. The Valencia and Perfect crime tunes are good, but I think the Crane wife song may be the most overrated song of the year. May be the rest of this wil grow on me by angry dude has some good points about criticaly acclaimed darlings. Sometimes they are not that popular for a reaon, other times, alla the Pixes Sebadoh, etc. I'm not sure why they don't get their due in their time. I think its because of narrow mindy people like angry dude.

Jan 31, 2007 14:30:35

Review 3 of 12

solidstate writes:

3of 5 Stars

Plenty of reviewers have weighed in here, so all I'll add about _The Crane Wife_ is my two caveats: Colin Meloy's nasal baritone grows a bit wearisome in large doses (but then the indie-rock crowd seems to like its male singers on the adenoidal, borderline-wimpy side); and there's little rhythmic propulsion to the songs -- their charm lies almost entirely in their winsome melodies and Meloy's gestures at literary anachronism. (I hope he's kidding.) But the disc thankfully overcomes its early flirtation with prog-rock keyboard runs, settling into an impressively polished suite of folk-pop. (Aside to the reviewer who dissed the RS review: for some reason, the online review is less than half the length of the print version. Eventually, the full review should appear on Robert Christgau's web site.)

Dec 15, 2006 13:10:56

Review 4 of 12

HenryCarr writes:

Not Rated

It seems to me that most people are missing the point of music. There is no rhyme or reason in debating how "good" a song is. It's art, it's aesthetic, you either like it or you don't. It's a personal opinion. I would guess music critics have a proclivity to laud "indie" albums because the instrumentation and lyrics are often more complicated, and for people who spend their lives around music, I'm guessing complicated is refreshing...but the majority of people do not have the time, nor the will, to dissect music, so the catchy hooks and straight-forward lyrics of pop. music are more inviting. It's the same reason that Michael Chricton reprints will outsell Virginia Woolf. But at the end of the day, there is no harm in an affinity to either. Just listen to what makes you happy. That being said, I liked "The Crane Wife!"

Dec 14, 2006 12:42:05

Review 5 of 12

someguyandstuff writes:

4of 5 Stars

Wow easter bunny that was quite a scathing indictment of Ryankissinger. Obviously the review wasn't that bad considering the fact that it riled you enough to illicit such a venemous response.

I for one think that the Decemberists are a thought provoking band with quirky lyrics and inspired instrumentals. They are good at what they do and some people just don't appreciate them for what they are. With regards to the negative review, well not everyone shares your perspective. I viewed Ryankissinger a little less harshly. I think that perhaps this person was venting some frustration fuelled by an overwhelming ignorance of indie culture. I also think you may have missed the point. While the majority of the message may have been incoherent ramblings, I interpreted it as follows: While indie music may not be represented by major labels it is most readily adopted by people who in fact are the beneficiaries of capitalism: the upper middle class. Get over it, you live in North America you're rich. Even so though there is a great deal of awesome indie music.

Oct 20, 2006 00:10:09

Review 6 of 12

theeasterbunny writes:

Not Rated

Apologies for being off topic, but cannot stop
myself from cussing this fool!

I cannot understand why Ryankissinger bothered
writing his review, when he clearly states he
hates the whole genre within which the album
lies... He essentially tells us only pop music
that makes the charts is "still good", that
avant garde is dead and that indie rock sucks.
He partly justifies this with some ridiculous
statement about human beings always being
linked together by the same emotions, the same
passions and the same basic ethos (I wonder
where this guy grew up).

After that the patronising little prick
suggestes we "put down our lattes and ipods"
and listen to his infallible dogma: the
decemberists are weird and rubbish because
their lyricist is...he doesn't care...they just
are...

That's the point where the acid trip he dropped
an hour before he started writing the review
kicks in...losing the minimal coherence he had
before, our friend starts to talk down the band
in a manner resembling an angry teenager having
a go at his mom or older brother, rocketing off
to strange tangents involving Santa Claus (!!),
winter weather conditions, skiing and the
failed revolt that seems to have inspired the
band's name.

As for his mention of the Beatles, being an
example of a "galvanizing force that made
people feel something", our friend fails to
mention the fact that the Beatles went on a
multitude of weird and avant garde explorations
and re-inventions of their sound throughout
their career, regularly failing to conform to
the forms and norms of pop music at the time.

Oct 18, 2006 06:03:11

Review 7 of 12

Ryankissinger writes:

1of 5 Stars

I hate to do this... Actually I retract that last statement. I take a small modicum of pleasure in this. Most indie rock is inane, boring, and populated (especially in Canada) by malcontent, wimpy, upper middle class, whiney yuppies deviod of real problems. Oh yeah and they all seem to sound like that guy from Radiohead or that guy from Death Cab for Cutie" Either that or they sound so insidiously rediculous that it becomes "cool" solely based on its apparent avante garde leanings. Well the avante garde is dead. Pop music, good pop music is still good. Just because more than a handful of people are drawn to a piece of music does not mean that it is lacking in merit. Human beings will always be linked together by the same emotions, the same passions and the same basic ethos. So, put down your f***ing lattes, and your damn ipod and listen. The Decemberists are wierd and really not all that enthralling. Their instrumental portions are OK but their lyrisist and singer is a pseudo intellectual who rambles on like a... I don't care, it's boring music and I hate that it has been universally heralded by music critics. Has anyone stopped to consider that there might be a reason why the band hasn't acheived multinational pop stardom? Oh and spare me the "they haven't sold out yet" spiel... were the Beatles sellouts? No, they were a galvanizing force that made people feel something. The Decemberists, so boring... Oh wow they're named after the Decembrist revolt, how intellectual. Oh wow they want to sound like December. Well shit what a great month to emulate, rain, fog, mist, and Christmas? So they want to sound like Santa Claus and f***ing bad weather? I hate December, sure I like Christmas, skiing blah, blah, blah but leave out the mind crushing depression. Sitting here rather bored on a Sunday night I decided to check with Rollingstone for their interpretation of "The Decemberists". The reviewer had nothing to say. Perhaps it had something to do with the fact that he was reluctant to let people in on a little secret: man do they suck...

Oct 15, 2006 20:44:15

Review 8 of 12

MelancholyDane writes:

5of 5 Stars

Let me summarize RS's review for anyone who didn't read the whole thing: "Colin Meloy has a large vocabulary. The Decemberists' last album was named Picaresque."

Honestly, The Crane Wife wasn't even mentioned until more than halfway through. It's hack reviewers like this one that are giving Rolling Stone a bad image.

Oct 9, 2006 21:48:55