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100

Alternative Press

A thrilling listen. [Dec 2003, p.140]

Magnet

On [Her Majesty...], the whimsy and multicolored narrative threads that represented the best of the Decemberists' terrific first album are given room to breathe. [#60, p.96]

Splendid

No one else is making literate, story-based pop this good.

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Neumu.net

Meloy's words stir your insides like good poetry, his imaginative tales climb into your mind, set up camp and stay awhile. But without the enchanting, heart-wrenching and totally affecting power that is the consequence of The Decemberists' music, the words would not have ever found life.

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Under The Radar

It's as though The Decemberists have been able to somehow summon that mystical muse that allows for all of the wonder of the musical world to open. [#5, p.100]

No Ripcord

A glorious triumph.... The Decemberists deserve to become your new favourite band.

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ShakingThrough.net

Her Majesty rewards repeated listenings, ultimately revealing itself to be a deeper, subtler work than Castaways.

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Pitchfork

Colin Meloy's songwriting makes them one of the strongest bands working today.

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Stylus Magazine

Underneath the surface of these grand productions lies hidden undercurrents of malice, disgust and social commentary- all things that would seem to be at odds with a beautifully constructed pop song.

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PopMatters

Her Majesty the Decemberists is distinctive, where the good parts are so good that it's easy to overlook the not-so-good.

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The Onion (A.V. Club)

This all may sound ostentatious or showy, but it isn't: Her Majesty aims high and hits a difficult mark, delivering glorious, sometimes fantastic tales without ever getting boorish.

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Dusted Magazine

Appealing and slyly catchy.

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Almost Cool

Clever without being pretentious.

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All Music Guide

Even though Her Majesty isn't quite as striking and full-formed as Castaways and Cutouts, it's still a consistently charming album that finds the band coming into its own.

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Delusions of Adequacy

The Decemberists are stuck in the past while innovating with an eye on the future.

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Village Voice

The band's newfound willingness to experiment leads to overkill.

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Uncut

Songs, without exception, are well crafted but more often than not collapse into cloying jauntiness. [Dec 2004, p.153]

Blender

Staggers under the unbearable preciousness of donkey-voiced singer Colin Meloy. [Sep 2003, p.122]

What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this album is 7.8 (out of 10) based on 23 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Vincent H gave it a10:
I could write an extremely long essay on how much the Decemberists mean to me and how obsessed I am with them. I won't get into it, but needless to say picking up this album from my local library one Fall day 3 years ago changed my life. I often have a difficult time choosing between this album and "Castaways and Cutouts", and my choice often changes, but right now it's this one. I would have to say personally that this was my favorite period of theirs musically, from 2002 (their 1st album) thru 2003 when they released this album and the 5-Song EP (which contains a few of their best songs). All the songs they made from this period are classic, with "Her Majesty..." being IMO, the best indie-pop album since "In the Aeroplane Over the Sea".

Pedro P gave it a9:
Original and well crafted from beginning to end. The evocative lyrics and the amazing creativity may make this one the best of 2003.

Ray M gave it a10:
Lyrics are wonderfully crafted, deep and thougtful. The music itself is a work of art. God Bless you Decemberists.

The Critic gave it a10:
Everyone out there, DO NOT LISTEN TO "President Bush" because all he does is say "crap" and doesn't even explain why he says so. I've been to a lot of his reviews and he embarrasses the website DO NOT LISTEN TO HIM

President Bush gave it a0:
just crap

Shep P gave it a3:
They have their moments, but in the end the Decemberists are just too pretentious and annoying to bear. Someone should tell the singer he's not British. He's from Montana, but you'd never know it with the psuedo-accent and the references to trousers, knickers, etc. Give me a break.

Jessica O gave it a10:
Listen to their CDs or see them live, either way once you hear their music you'll be a dedicated fan!

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Her Majesty The Decemberists

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