"Early" Decemberists
Printed From: Progarchives.com
Category: Progressive Music Lounges
Forum Name: Prog Polls
Forum Description: Create polls on topics related to progressive music
URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=60300
Printed Date: November 26 2024 at 07:46
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Topic: "Early" Decemberists
Posted By: The Whistler
Subject: "Early" Decemberists
Date Posted: August 09 2009 at 22:56
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A companion piece to the Radiohead poll... Basically, as much as Radiohead transformed over a couple of years into a band capable of producing Kid A, The Decemberists have come a long way to become the band that made The Crane Wife. I suppose that Castaways has cult clout. It's fairly beloved amongst Decemberist deathcore fans; and, as I myself am a rabid fan, I can't quite understand why. Okay, so I can get the concept...acoustic Beach Boys style dream-folk is fun. But I can't quite play along. I for one like Her Majesty. The band is self assured, and the album is emotionally charged from start to finish, not to mention containing some personal favorites, AND the epics are wholly in order. Picaresque is a bit of a letdown, but still pretty damn good. A little much for my tastes...but I think that one is ALSO a bit of a fan favorite. Crap. Maybe I don't like the Decemberists as much as I think I do... ------------- "There seem to be quite a large percentage of young American boys out there tonight. A long way from home, eh? Well so are we... Gotta stick together." -I. Anderson |
Replies:
Posted By: Moatilliatta
Date Posted: August 10 2009 at 00:54
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You definitely don't.
I think Castaways and Cutouts and Picaresque are more "epic" and emotional on the whole than Her Majesty. "California One/Youth and Beauty Brigade" is a more melodic and memorable (for me at least) longer track than the supposed epics on Her Majesty, though I'm not denying that they are good and clearly emotional (not to mention personal). The "epics" on Her Majesty seem more like stretched out songs which don't introduce wholly new ideas musically.
Really though, it's hard to find fault with any of their albums thus far. All are absolutely wonderful. And each of these albums has many qualities to boast:
Castaways and Cutouts brings a variety of sounds and styles to the table, tastefully blended with the band's folky indie pop-rock foundation, Her Majesty has the most immediately satisfying & long-lasting melodies and Picaresque shows the band stretching out sonically and stucturally, putting more attention on details like textures and atmosphere.
I love them all and I'm not sure which to pick quite yet. ------------- www.last.fm/user/ThisCenotaph  
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Posted By: MovingPictures07
Date Posted: August 10 2009 at 01:12
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Tough, but Picaresque.
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Posted By: Ricochet
Date Posted: August 10 2009 at 02:46
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I'd say "early" Decemberists lasts through the first two albums. The Crane Wife does indeed draw a line between good and "finally, they're great", but Picaresque itself is already a step higher. But, the way the poll is made, Picaresque gets my vote. ------------- 
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Posted By: Synchestra
Date Posted: August 11 2009 at 00:12
The one with the Mariner's Revenge Song  ------------- 'Yeah, thats.. Whatever you're talking about for ya' - Zapp brannigan |
Posted By: micky
Date Posted: August 11 2009 at 15:44
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damn... what's up with the Decemberists polls... did someone else just get fooled... Castaways for the Mick... no surprise.. voted for it already for favorite of all of them. ------------- The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip |
Posted By: The Coastliner
Date Posted: August 11 2009 at 16:15
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Gotta go with Her Majesty. It took me the longest to get into, by far, but it was well worth it. I still am not sure where the overwhelming praise for The Crane Wife comes from on here, as I find it at about even keel with their first three albums. Unless it's because it has "The Island" on it, which, apart from "The Tain" is the most prog rock they've sounded since "Odalisque". My favourites are pretty evenly divided among all the albums, so even if I chose one, all the rest are just behind. However, I was a fan of them before I was really into prog, so I am coming at it from a different angle. Which "epics" would these be on Her Majesty? ------------- 
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Posted By: The Whistler
Date Posted: August 12 2009 at 02:22
"I Was Meant for Stage," which is, admittedly, about as straightforward as "California One" (although the deconstructive ending is pretty fun), and "Gymnast, High Above the Ground" which is pretty far advanced in terms of build and dynamics compared to the longer stuff on the first album ("Cocoon," for instance). Okay, so "Odalisque" probably trumps every song I listed above, but it just wasn't that long dern it. ------------- "There seem to be quite a large percentage of young American boys out there tonight. A long way from home, eh? Well so are we... Gotta stick together." -I. Anderson |
The Coastliner wrote:Posted By: The Whistler
Date Posted: August 12 2009 at 02:23
But if it wasn't on the list...? ------------- "There seem to be quite a large percentage of young American boys out there tonight. A long way from home, eh? Well so are we... Gotta stick together." -I. Anderson |
Posted By: The Whistler
Date Posted: August 12 2009 at 02:29
Oh, I've been a fool for a couple of years now, since the Crane Wife release. Sorry. ------------- "There seem to be quite a large percentage of young American boys out there tonight. A long way from home, eh? Well so are we... Gotta stick together." -I. Anderson |
Posted By: moreitsythanyou
Date Posted: August 12 2009 at 02:38
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Her Majesty. How people don't find it amazing is beyond me. I MEAN THE GYMNAST HIGH ABOVE THE MOTHEREXPLETIVING GROUND and every other song on it at that. -------------  <font color=white>butts, lol[/COLOR] |
Posted By: The Whistler
Date Posted: August 12 2009 at 02:44
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SERIOUSLY. It's like The Decemberists' hideous savant child that they keep locked up in the attic so that Kate Bush won't find it, or whatever that Gothic novel was about. I wouldn't really know; I just watched a movie with Vincent Price instead of reading it. That's probably why I failed high school english.
------------- "There seem to be quite a large percentage of young American boys out there tonight. A long way from home, eh? Well so are we... Gotta stick together." -I. Anderson |
Posted By: Ricochet
Date Posted: August 12 2009 at 03:17
Then Castaways & Cutouts. -------------
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Posted By: The Whistler
Date Posted: August 12 2009 at 03:33
I had a feeling you would say that. ------------- "There seem to be quite a large percentage of young American boys out there tonight. A long way from home, eh? Well so are we... Gotta stick together." -I. Anderson |
Posted By: Catholic Flame
Date Posted: August 14 2009 at 19:56
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Early? They just started in 2001. It's all early yet.
------------- “Great things are not accomplished by those who yield to trends and fads and popular opinion.” ~Jack Kerouac |
Posted By: jammun
Date Posted: August 14 2009 at 22:28
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Picaresque...she's a long one, such a long one. ------------- Can you tell me where we're headin'? Lincoln County Road or Armageddon. |
Posted By: Chris H
Date Posted: August 14 2009 at 22:34
 ------------- Beauty will save the world. 
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