No radio-friendly singles, two 10-minute-plus epics and Japanese folk music?
Fears about The Decemberists' move from indie label Kill Rock Stars to super-behemoth Capitol Records may be put to rest now that the swashbuckling society has put out its gripping fourth full-length disc, The Crane Wife.
In many aspects, Wife is not drastically different from The Decemberists' 2005 album, Picaresque. The grandiose ballads and maddeningly consistent songwriting is still present, but much of the quirkiness of previous albums is lost. Fans of tracks such as 16 Military Wives should not expect the same lively folk-pop. Rather, The Crane Wife has more of a morose feel with the additional refinement expected from a major-label release.
The disc truly relies on two separate epics, each surpassing the 10-minute mark. The title track is split into three parts, but the band flips the story, placing the climactic final portion at the beginning of the album and moving the first two parts near the end. Admittedly, it is a little disconcerting to hear how the majestic tale ends before it begins. But Wife is denser than The Decembrists' previous albums and repeated listens bring out the grandeur so the misplacement does not take that large of a toll.
The disc's other epic, The Island is ambitiously placed as track number two, asserting that this record is not deserving of only one spin.
Instead of relying on lead singer Colin Meloy's voice to propel the action as heard on previous albums, the musicians step up to the plate here after sitting on the benches for far too long. Instruments now drive many songs, instead of relying on Meloy's nasal delivery to win over listeners. With The Decemberists evolving into more of a band than just a vehicle for Meloy, The Crane Wife is the best album The Decemberists have crafted thus far.
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Chris Yonker
