The Crane Wife

I am absolutely loving the new Decemberists album, The Crane Wife. Previously I had enjoyed Picaresque, although neither it nor Her Majesty could surpass Castaways and Cutouts for sheer brilliance. 'Here I Dreamt I Was an Architect' is just so lovely!

However The Crane Wife demonstrates that the Decemberists are capable of much more than sea shanties and tales of soldiering. The title tracks tell a story in three parts about a man who tends to a wounded crane and then marries her, based on a Japanese folk tale - read more at wikipedia.

And I will hang my head, hang my head low.

'The Island' is like a novel. It moves through three different phases, encompassing the usual indie folk style of the Decemberists but also exploring prog rock styles - still has me open-mouthed in awe.

Come and see...

'Yankee Bayonet (I Will Be Home Then)' is a lovely duet with Laura Veirs, and it reminds me of their older tracks. 'O Valencia!' has the familiar theme of love ending in tragedy, somewhat Shakespearean. I'm not sure about the chorus on 'The Perfect Crime #2', but I definitely love 'Shankill Butchers'. And there are a few war tracks, 'When the War Came', 'After the Bombs', and also 'Yankee Bayonet'.

Today I bought Calexico's Garden Ruin.