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The Whistler 
Prog Reviewer
Joined: August 30 2006
Location: LA, CA
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Points: 7113
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 Topic: "Early" Decemberists
Posted: August 09 2009 at 22:56 |
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...
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"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
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Moatilliatta
Prog Reviewer
Joined: December 01 2005
Location: United States
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Points: 3083
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Posted: August 10 2009 at 00:54 |
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.
Edited by Moatilliatta - August 10 2009 at 01:15
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www.last.fm/user/ThisCenotaph
 
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MovingPictures07
Prog Reviewer
Joined: January 09 2008
Location: Beasty Heart
Status: Offline
Points: 32181
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Posted: August 10 2009 at 01:12 |
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Tough, but Picaresque.
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Ricochet
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: February 27 2005
Location: Nauru
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Points: 46301
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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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Synchestra
Forum Senior Member
Joined: April 07 2009
Location: New Zealand
Status: Offline
Points: 734
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Posted: August 11 2009 at 00:12 |
The one with the Mariner's Revenge Song 
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'Yeah, thats.. Whatever you're talking about for ya' - Zapp brannigan
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micky
Special Collaborator
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Joined: October 02 2005
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Points: 46833
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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.
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The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip
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The Coastliner
Forum Groupie
Joined: July 19 2009
Location: Canada
Status: Offline
Points: 75
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Posted: August 11 2009 at 16:15 |
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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The Whistler
Prog Reviewer
Joined: August 30 2006
Location: LA, CA
Status: Offline
Points: 7113
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Posted: August 12 2009 at 02:22 |
 The Coastliner wrote:
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? |
"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.
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"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
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The Whistler
Prog Reviewer
Joined: August 30 2006
Location: LA, CA
Status: Offline
Points: 7113
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Posted: August 12 2009 at 02:23 |
Ricochet wrote:
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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But if it wasn't on the list...?
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"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
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The Whistler
Prog Reviewer
Joined: August 30 2006
Location: LA, CA
Status: Offline
Points: 7113
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Posted: August 12 2009 at 02:29 |
micky wrote:
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.
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Oh, I've been a fool for a couple of years now, since the Crane Wife release. Sorry.
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"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
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moreitsythanyou
Forum Senior Member
VIP Member
Joined: April 23 2006
Location: NYC
Status: Offline
Points: 11682
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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.
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 <font color=white>butts, lol[/COLOR]
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The Whistler
Prog Reviewer
Joined: August 30 2006
Location: LA, CA
Status: Offline
Points: 7113
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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.
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"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
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Ricochet
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: February 27 2005
Location: Nauru
Status: Offline
Points: 46301
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Posted: August 12 2009 at 03:17 |
The Whistler wrote:
Ricochet wrote:
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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But if it wasn't on the list...? |
Then Castaways & Cutouts.
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The Whistler
Prog Reviewer
Joined: August 30 2006
Location: LA, CA
Status: Offline
Points: 7113
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Posted: August 12 2009 at 03:33 |
Ricochet wrote:
The Whistler wrote:
Ricochet wrote:
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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But if it wasn't on the list...? |
Then Castaways & Cutouts.
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I had a feeling you would say that.
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"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
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Catholic Flame
Forum Senior Member
Joined: September 17 2005
Status: Offline
Points: 295
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Posted: August 14 2009 at 19:56 |
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Early? They just started in 2001. It's all early yet.
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“Great things are not accomplished by those who yield to trends and fads and popular opinion.”
~Jack Kerouac
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jammun
Prog Reviewer
Joined: July 14 2007
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 3449
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Posted: August 14 2009 at 22:28 |
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Picaresque...she's a long one, such a long one.
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Can you tell me where we're headin'?
Lincoln County Road or Armageddon.
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Chris H
Prog Reviewer
Joined: October 08 2006
Location: Charlotte, NC
Status: Offline
Points: 8191
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Posted: August 14 2009 at 22:34 |
moreitsythanyou wrote:
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.
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Beauty will save the world.
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"Early" Decemberists
