The Decemberists
The Crane Wife

THE REVIEW

When I got my hands on “The Crane Wife,” I was like my youngest son in front of a gift package, eager to open it with the hope of finding something surprising inside, and all the conditions for this to happen were there: an excellent indie-pop band out of the ordinary and a concept album based on a famous Japanese tale (a crane saved by a poor man, who out of gratitude returns to his home in the guise of a beautiful woman, becomes his wife, makes him wealthy, but upon discovery will fly away).

With this work, the Portland quintet debuted for Capitol Records, and the pleasant surprise (perhaps not for some old fans) is that they were found on much more pop-rock paths, guided as always by their Deus ex machina Colin Meloy (formerly of Tarkio). Yes, because Meloy (with a university student's face out of course and crazy about the Smiths, so much so that he recorded an EP of their songs) is for the Decemberists, what Will Sheff is for Okkervil River, and in this ambitious musical project of his, he shows himself as not only a passionate performer but also a great composer. In the opinion of the writer, “The Crane Wife” is a great polyhedral album, a collection of various styles, among which shine rare gems of beauty like the intense “The Crane Wife 3, 1 and 2” (the order is indeed this), the cheerful duet of "Yankee Bayonet" with singer-songwriter Laura Veirs, the funk rhythm (?) of “The Perfect Crime 2”, but above all the extraordinary epicness of “The Island, Come And See, The Landlord's Daughter, You'll Not Feel The Drowning": 13 minutes for a suite of pure progressive rock as had not been heard for some time, among whose notes roams the ghost of Jan Anderson and his Jethro Tull.

In conclusion, I was very satisfied with the gift, but something unspecified left a bitter taste in my mouth, perhaps some episodes that are too simple or predictable. A pity, because “The Crane Wife” could have been an absolute masterpiece and, while still being an extraordinary album that many will enjoy, as a whole there's something that doesn't fully convince.

Be that as it may, my compliments to the minstrels of Oregon. Rating 4.8

Regards, Addison.