What do a dictionary, atlas, thesaurus, Google and the Decemberists’ new album have in common?
Well, you need the first four to understand The Crane Wife, the new offering from lead singer Colin Meloy and his gang of miscreants from Portland, Ore.
But the dense, allusive lyrics of The Crane Wife are nothing new for Decemberists fans. Instead, the confusing poetry of the album is a perfect example of the band’s genius.
The Crane Wife is based off the Japanese folk tale that goes by the same name. The story follows a man who finds an injured crane, nurses it back to health and releases the bird. Days later, a beautiful woman comes to his door looking for a place to stay, and the man obliges. Although the woman refuses to tell him anything about her life, the two marry. Because the couple is very poor, the wife suggests she weave a cloth for him to sell – but, she must work behind a curtain, and he’s not allowed to see her progress.
One day, the husband’s curiosity overtakes him. He brushes aside the curtain, only to find that his beautiful wife is actually the crane he nursed back to health weeks ago. In shame, she flies away and never returns, leaving her husband with only his broken heart and guilt.
If the tale doesn’t use up all your tissues, add the Decemberists’ haunting melodies and tear-jerking lyrics in “The Crane Wife 3” and “The Crane Wife 1 and 2” and see how close you come to having your tear ducts overflowing.
There’s still some classic Decemberists fare here, like the heavy “When the War Came” and the multi-layered “The Island,” a 13-minute monster track divided into three parts: “Come and See,” “The Landlord’s Daughter” and “You’ll Not Feel The Drowning.”
While the overall sound of The Crane Wife may be a striking departure for the Decemberists, many of the ideas brought forth in Picaresque are echoed throughout the album. The band’s thematic “Jonah” infatuation established in “The Mariner’s Revenge Song” is carried into “Summer Song.” “When The War Came” features a second-half cacophony not unlike that of “The Bagman’s Gambit.”
Perhaps the most canonical song on the album, “The Island,” describes a relatively disturbing, almost epic storyline with typical Decemberists language, not to mention the cyclical repetition fans will find irresistible in “Of Angels and Angles.”
Devoted fans, don’t hang your heads low – The Crane Wife remains a beacon of indie light. Though this album is the first since the band’s move from Kill Rock Stars to a major label, Capitol Records, the essence of the Decemberists has not been lost.
Contact reporter Brittany Borghi at diversions@dbk.umd.edu.
