The Crane Wife
by The Decemberists
  • Record Label: Capitol
  • Release Date: Oct 3, 2006
User Score
8.7

Universal acclaim- based on 161 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 145 out of 161
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 161
  3. Negative: 6 out of 161

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  1. moonman1994
    Dec 15, 2012
    10
    Simply an amazing album. Pretty much every song is great. I remember first seeing the list of songs and seeing that there were two songs that were both over ten minutes long and was skeptical as to how any song could be that long without boring the listener. However, I was pleasantly surprised by their quality. This album is just amazing. Worth the money for sure!
  2. Ricko
    Mar 28, 2012
    8
    If your not familiar with this band they're well worth getting into. This has some folk and a bit of Indie pop but the Decemberists do have their own style. There is a little bit of REM in here and if you liked Neutral Milk Hotels "In the aeroplane over the sea", at times this record has a similar feel to that (although not quite as good). There is a lot of quality on this so it's hard toIf your not familiar with this band they're well worth getting into. This has some folk and a bit of Indie pop but the Decemberists do have their own style. There is a little bit of REM in here and if you liked Neutral Milk Hotels "In the aeroplane over the sea", at times this record has a similar feel to that (although not quite as good). There is a lot of quality on this so it's hard to pick out stand out moments. Track 2 which has several songs in one and The Perfect Crime #2 are my favourites.… Expand
  3. claw01
    Oct 30, 2011
    9
    One of the Decemberists' best efforts, if not their best album so far; The Crane WIfe has a more refined sound compared to their previous works. While Picaresque may have more defined tracks that allow them to stand alone very well, The Crane Wife is smoother and more cohesive, and does so without sacrificing the Decemberists' style.
  4. BMartin
    Nov 3, 2008
    10
    A triumph!
  5. NONo
    Jun 13, 2008
    0
    Somethings terribly wrong... how can a crap band like this get raved reviews?
  6. DavidF
    Jan 11, 2008
    7
    A little pretentious. I don't know if that's the word I'm looking for, but it's something like that.
  7. JoeB
    Jan 2, 2008
    10
    Astonishing. Breathtaking. Grandiose and sweeping. Meloy accompanies the smooth rhythm with his notes as well as he does for the hectic passion, so easily yet identifiably created. With this record he also, undoubtedly, sets himself apart from almost any other lyricist writing at the moment. His prose and storytelling demand to be listened to, moving from the elegant to the bluntness. The Astonishing. Breathtaking. Grandiose and sweeping. Meloy accompanies the smooth rhythm with his notes as well as he does for the hectic passion, so easily yet identifiably created. With this record he also, undoubtedly, sets himself apart from almost any other lyricist writing at the moment. His prose and storytelling demand to be listened to, moving from the elegant to the bluntness. The sublime to the ridiculous. The Crane wife may not be the most important album out of the states in the last five years, but it is certainly the best. When stripped down to it's essence (which is incredibly hard to do) the record is, at it's core, a novel. A novel of beauty and rare , pure genius.… Expand
  8. jtc
    Dec 1, 2007
    9
    This album is the bomb. Gets better every time I listen to it. If you like good original (yet accessible) music and songwriting, you'll like this album. If you don't, you won't.
  9. RobI
    Nov 12, 2007
    10
    This is my first listen to a Decemberist Album, and I find myself listening to it over and over again. Fanf***ingtastic album. It has been 20 or more years since an album grabbed me the way this one did. I was introduced to it about 6 months ago, and I still can't get enough of it.
  10. Waterhouse
    Oct 5, 2007
    10
    Decemberists' best. Diverse, innovative, and dare I say edgy? In my opinion, flawless. Anyone presuming to review this lower than 8 out of 10 needs their ears thoroughly examined.
  11. alexf
    Jul 25, 2007
    9
    Great Album!
  12. David
    Jun 9, 2007
    9
    I love this album :D I didn't like it the first time I listened to it, but then I listened to it again and realised that it's really good :O
  13. BadgerG
    Mar 13, 2007
    9
    Amazing! Even better than their last album which was hard to believe. Listen to it. Get it.
  14. RobbieC
    Feb 25, 2007
    5
    Totally over-rated.
  15. markp
    Feb 15, 2007
    9
    Iimagine my soul wandering the countryside learning the secrets of the earth. Of a very rustic yet elegant tenor. Every time I listen to this album I find something new, either in the music, or within myself.
  16. AndrewD
    Feb 1, 2007
    10
    A true masterpiece, the Decemberists have definitely evolved in their song writing capabilities and Meloys lyrics never cease to amaze. Every song is a world of its own that one can step into, a world that they have brilliantly created.
  17. SYanoff
    Dec 30, 2006
    6
    Good, but not great Decemberists work. Their previous album, Picaresque, remains their best work to date. Still, this album has two of their best songs ever on it: "The Crane Wife 3" and "Sons and Daughters".
  18. JarrodL
    Dec 27, 2006
    7
    Unfortunately this is the album that the band will be recognized for, but it is far from what they are capable of. Most of the tracks are derivative indie pop tunes that sound so generic that most are hardly worth listening to. The Decemberists have watered themselves down in their transition to mainstream and have made tracks that are completely unremarkable and are nothing like the Unfortunately this is the album that the band will be recognized for, but it is far from what they are capable of. Most of the tracks are derivative indie pop tunes that sound so generic that most are hardly worth listening to. The Decemberists have watered themselves down in their transition to mainstream and have made tracks that are completely unremarkable and are nothing like the masterpiece's of variety and sound that are "Her Majesty and "Picaresque". Come on, guys, don't sell out, continue to stick to your folk roots and stay away from generic sounding pop-rock hashes that saturate the so-called "indie" market.… Expand
  19. MilesK
    Dec 24, 2006
    10
    It's been a long time since I've been as captivated by an album... just about every track is a gem.
  20. ReubenF
    Dec 18, 2006
    8
    A solid although not particularly innovative album. 'A Perfect Crime #2' is a beautifully constructed song, similar to past favourites of mine like 'Here I Dreamt I Was An Architect' from their LP 'Castaways And Cutouts' in 2002. 'O Valencia' is perhaps their most radio-friendly song they've ever done.
  21. JustinT
    Dec 15, 2006
    10
    Earth-shatteringly sentimental in a good way. One of my top ten of 2006.
  22. time
    Dec 12, 2006
    7
    Not bad! Reminds me of Television with snippets of Belle and Sebastian only not as good.
  23. JustH
    Dec 12, 2006
    9
    I cannot believe I'm saying this but despite the album leaning towards prog rock, I love it! It may be their best work to date. The song cycles are catchy and intense and the standalone tracks are a great romp.
  24. romanmc
    Dec 9, 2006
    9
    Great record. There's more continuity on this record, more chance-taking than the past and the band sacrifices their tendency to cloy for more full-fledged sounds.
  25. Nathon
    Dec 3, 2006
    9
    I can't stop listening! I haven't heard an album this great since Death Cab's Tranatlantism. Although the whole album works standout tracks like O'Valencia and Son& Daughters are transcendant. All this in a story book concept with an anti-war message.
  26. RobertD
    Dec 1, 2006
    9
    This could be my favorite album of the year!
  27. Nathalie
    Nov 27, 2006
    10
    Excellent album, its nice to see that switching over to a major label hasnt changed what this band is all about. they music is still great..
  28. AndyD
    Nov 27, 2006
    8
    Good album, boring at times.
  29. Matt
    Nov 25, 2006
    9
    I could have done without The Landlord's Daughter, and Chris Walla's production sometimes tries to make these guys sound a little too much like Death Cab... anybody else notice that the feedback at the end of The Crane Wife 3 sounds suspiciously like the feedback at the end of Transatlanticism opener The New Year? All that aside, this is still one of the best albums of the year, I could have done without The Landlord's Daughter, and Chris Walla's production sometimes tries to make these guys sound a little too much like Death Cab... anybody else notice that the feedback at the end of The Crane Wife 3 sounds suspiciously like the feedback at the end of Transatlanticism opener The New Year? All that aside, this is still one of the best albums of the year, and one of the band's stronger releases to date.… Expand
  30. TristramC
    Nov 22, 2006
    6
    I am not one of those indie snobs, I'm really not. I have been happy with Modest Mouse, White Stripes and several other bands after signing major label deals. I can't help though feeling like that major label sheen has hindered the Decemberists here. It still sounds like Colin and Company but that edge of their first 3 albums is absent. Its as if the lack of resources helped the I am not one of those indie snobs, I'm really not. I have been happy with Modest Mouse, White Stripes and several other bands after signing major label deals. I can't help though feeling like that major label sheen has hindered the Decemberists here. It still sounds like Colin and Company but that edge of their first 3 albums is absent. Its as if the lack of resources helped the band before. A lot of The Crane Wife sounds ambitious and tired as if Colin wanted to make sure his new employers were happy with the material and by recording time he was thoroughly exhausted. 'Oh Valencia' is admittedly great but their epic "The Island" doesn't do much except plod. It is long and it sounds long. I hope the best for these guys. They paid their dues and all. If I hear of them though scored to an OC episode in the future I am going to have to earl.… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

22
#22 Best Album of 2006
27
#27 Most Discussed Album of 2006
37
#37 Most Shared Album of 2006

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
84

Universal acclaim - based on 33 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 31 out of 33
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 33
  3. Negative: 0 out of 33
  1. NOW Magazine
    80
    Oddly, the unconventional sequencing and measured pace of the album make the fragmented mess hold together quite well.
    Read full review
  2. Entertainment Weekly
    83
    The jarring faux-metal riffage of "When the War Came" exposes Meloy's limits, but several of these studies in heartbreak and homicide rank among his most moving. [6 Oct 2006, p.68]
  3. Prefix Magazine
    60
    Most of The Crane Wife consists of rehashes of Decemberists staples and by-the-books, cookie-cutter indie pop that runs the gamut between pleasant enough ("O, Valencia!") and barely tolerable ("Summersong").
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »