PICARESQUE

I'm very glad to see the Decemberists here on PA. This band (and this album in general) really started my love affair with music of many different types (indie, folk, and prog). I had liked music before, but this album took hold of me and turned music into something much more important. For that reason this one will always be special to me.

It has more of an indie rock feel, which is why it is so popular in those crowds, though also has a lot of scattered progressive influence that is much more prominent later on "The Crane Wife". Most of the songs on "Picaresque" are not the least bit progressive though, which makes it impossible for me to give this a 'masterpiece of progressive music' 5 star rating. If the ratings were not prog related then I would give this 5 stars easily.

All of the songwriting on this album is superb, great folk-rock that is always changing and never lets down its charm. Every track is great, but ones that prog fans would be most interested in would have to be mainly the longer ones; The Infanta, The Bagman's Gambit, and The Mariner's Revenge are all amazing songs, all of which sound completely different from each other. 16 Military Wives is another fantastic track that is likely one of my all-time favorite non-progressive songs.

I think that most Prog Folk fans here will like this and the earlier ones, Symphonic Prog fans may find a lot to like in their latest offering "The Crane Wife". A great addition to any collection.