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Author Topic: The Decemberists  (Read 28944 times)

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Offline lordxizor

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Re: The Decemberists
« Reply #140 on: December 07, 2011, 08:40:33 AM »
Quote from: KevShmev on December 07, 2011, 08:31:20 AM
I still need to check out this EP.
Me too. I love The King is Dead despite the more countryish sound.
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Offline antigoon

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Re: The Decemberists
« Reply #141 on: December 07, 2011, 10:03:29 AM »
I love it because of that. Checking out that EP now.
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Offline Gorille85

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Re: The Decemberists
« Reply #142 on: December 07, 2011, 10:42:03 AM »
Quote from: antigoon on December 07, 2011, 10:03:29 AM
I love it because of that.

Me too. And it's weird because I don't like country most of the time. Another proof that there is good music in every genre.
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Offline Ryzee

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Re: The Decemberists
« Reply #143 on: December 07, 2011, 10:52:54 AM »
Quote from: KevShmev on December 07, 2011, 08:31:20 AM
I still need to check out this EP.

And time for the new fans to talk about them a lot in here. :)

I've been a fan for a little while now but I'm down to talk about them!

Great band, probably my favorite indie/folk band.  I have Castaways & Cutouts, Picaresque, The Crane Wife and The Hazards of Love but I still haven't gotten the new record yet.  Hopefully that'll change after Christmas.  The Island is my favorite song, The Hazards of Love is my favorite album.  It bums me out that in every review of The King is Dead that I read the reviewer throws a little jab in at The Hazards of Love, usually implying that Hazards was a bad album because it was too proggy and ambitious and King is Dead is better because the songs are more concise.  Whatevs  ::)
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Offline antigoon

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Re: The Decemberists
« Reply #144 on: December 07, 2011, 10:58:51 AM »
I agree with that. Not that The Hazards of Love is too proggy or whatever but I favor the concise, no pretenses nature of The King is Dead over their more overblown stuff.

I think I just have a thing for folk rock with a country twang. See Bright Eyes: Cassadaga, I'm Wide Awake It's Morning.
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Offline glaurung

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Re: The Decemberists
« Reply #145 on: December 07, 2011, 11:15:13 AM »
Hazards of Love is a pretty easy pick as my favorite Decemberists album. It doesn't really have any of my favorite songs but the whole album is quite the trip.
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Offline Ryzee

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Re: The Decemberists
« Reply #146 on: December 07, 2011, 11:21:02 AM »
Quote from: antigoon on December 07, 2011, 10:58:51 AM
I agree with that. Not that The Hazards of Love is too proggy or whatever but I favor the concise, no pretenses nature of The King is Dead over their more overblown stuff.

I think I just have a thing for folk rock with a country twang. See Bright Eyes: Cassadaga, I'm Wide Awake It's Morning.

I can dig that, I just kind of resented the implication in alot of the reviews that ambitious/artistic=bad and concise/accesible=good.  Either thing can be good or bad, it all depends on the tunes.  And don't get me wrong- everything I've heard from King is Dead has been great and I love those Bright Eyes records you mentioned, but Hazards is my favorite Decemberists album because:

Quote from: glaurung on December 07, 2011, 11:15:13 AM
the whole album is quite the trip.
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Offline Nel

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Re: The Decemberists
« Reply #147 on: December 07, 2011, 11:23:12 AM »
Meh. I didn't really find anything on the new EP that memorable. It just sounds like songs that weren't good enough for The King Is Dead.
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Offline glaurung

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Re: The Decemberists
« Reply #148 on: December 07, 2011, 11:52:50 AM »
Nothing on it is bad, but it is pretty obviously a bunch of B-sides.
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Quote from: zxlkho on December 01, 2010, 07:42:00 PM
Cole: "Ow I just got hit in the balls"
Me: "How?"
Cole: "Well you know when you try to scratch your balls, and you scratch too hard?
Quote from: skydivingninja on February 19, 2012, 11:03:33 AM
I'll admit sometimes I want to listen to Dragonforce.

Online Mladen

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Re: The Decemberists
« Reply #149 on: December 07, 2011, 01:37:58 PM »
Quite a nice time for this thread to be resurrected, because I've been listening to a lot of The Decemberists for the last two or three weeks. I gotta say I absolutely adore The Hazards of love and The Crane wife. This is one of the first bands with strong folk influences that I decided to listen to, so that's what makes this music so fresh for me, but then again, there's a lot of prog elements on these two albums that sound familiar and that make me fall in love with the music even more. I also really enjoyed Castaways and cutouts, there are some breathtaking melodies on there. It's a very bleak record for the most part, reminiscent of the infamous In an aeroplane over the sea, which can't be a bad thing. I'm currently getting into The King is dead, which is a cool album, although not as experimental as their previous works.

Favorite songs so far, in chronological order: Odalisque, Here I dreamt I was an architect, Shanty for the Arethusa, The Bachelor and the bride, We both go down together, The Engine driver, On the bus mall, Crane wife 3, The Island (my absolute favorite), The Perfect crime 2, Isn't it a lovely night, The Rake's song (probably their only song that makes this emoticon justified:  :metal), Annan water and so on, there's plenty of gems. I'm not including anything from their last album so far, although Rox in the box and This is why we fight are a lot of fun.
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Offline Ryzee

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Re: The Decemberists
« Reply #150 on: December 07, 2011, 01:47:25 PM »
Yeah, The Island is very easy to appreciate if you're a prog fan!  My wife actually turned me on to this band a while back.  She's big into indie/folk stuff like She & Him and Iron & Wine and at the time I was still sort of in my prog snob phase and we had a bit of our own "indie v. prog" thing going on.  She put on Crane Wife and was like "here this is indie folk."  When we got to the "Landlord's Daughter" section of The Island with all the organ arpeggios I was like "Wait a minute- indie folk?  Sounds like some prog to me baby!"  :lol
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Offline KevShmev

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Re: The Decemberists
« Reply #151 on: December 07, 2011, 04:47:40 PM »
My guess is that most people who listen to this band do not come from a strong prog background, so that explains why some didn't go crazy over The Hazards of Love.  For my money, it is a helluva ride and a fantastic record.  But if you are strictly or mainly a fan of folk or indie and do not dig when bands stretch out too much, I can see why you wouldn't like THOL as a whole.  On the flip side, it is probably the one album of theirs that I think prog fans who do not dig folk or indie are most likely to like a lot. 

Odaslisque is definitely one of my favorites, too, Mladen!  I love the vibe and pacing of the song once it picks up after the slower first too verses.  That is great stuff. :coolio

And it really is amazing how a song with lyrics about such deplorable acts can be so awesome to sing along to, as The Rake's Song is.  :metal indeed. :)
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Offline Nel

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Re: The Decemberists
« Reply #152 on: December 07, 2011, 06:06:37 PM »
I remember seeing the tracklisting for The Crane Wife and being amazed that they actually made songs that long. But "The Island" is freaking amazing. Great prog song and probably my favorite from this band.
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Offline KevShmev

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Re: The Decemberists
« Reply #153 on: December 08, 2011, 12:14:09 AM »
The Island is great, but I actually think the other longer song on that record, The Crane Wife 1 & 2, is better.  Both are great for sure, though!
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Online Mladen

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Re: The Decemberists
« Reply #154 on: December 08, 2011, 12:52:43 AM »
Quote from: KevShmev on December 07, 2011, 04:47:40 PM
And it really is amazing how a song with lyrics about such deplorable acts can be so awesome to sing along to, as The Rake's Song is.  :metal indeed. :)
I sing along to The Rake's song as well - should I feel bad?  ;D It's just so catchy, what can you do.  :metal
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Offline Jirpo

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Re: The Decemberists
« Reply #155 on: December 08, 2011, 04:39:36 AM »
I'm just getting into this band courtesy of my friend! They are awesome.
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Offline KevShmev

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Re: The Decemberists
« Reply #156 on: December 10, 2011, 09:17:55 AM »
Quote from: Mladen on December 08, 2011, 12:52:43 AM
Quote from: KevShmev on December 07, 2011, 04:47:40 PM
And it really is amazing how a song with lyrics about such deplorable acts can be so awesome to sing along to, as The Rake's Song is.  :metal indeed. :)
I sing along to The Rake's song as well - should I feel bad?  ;D It's just so catchy, what can you do.  :metal

Exactly.  It is literally impossible to not sing along to. :coolio

Quote from: Jirpo on December 08, 2011, 04:39:36 AM
I'm just getting into this band courtesy of my friend! They are awesome.

Sweet.  What songs and albums are you digging? :)
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Offline Gorille85

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Re: The Decemberists
« Reply #157 on: December 10, 2011, 11:40:46 AM »
The Rake's Song is amazing!
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Offline Jirpo

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Re: The Decemberists
« Reply #158 on: December 10, 2011, 06:55:59 PM »
Quote from: KevShmev on December 10, 2011, 09:17:55 AM
Quote from: Mladen on December 08, 2011, 12:52:43 AM
Quote from: KevShmev on December 07, 2011, 04:47:40 PM
And it really is amazing how a song with lyrics about such deplorable acts can be so awesome to sing along to, as The Rake's Song is.  :metal indeed. :)
I sing along to The Rake's song as well - should I feel bad?  ;D It's just so catchy, what can you do.  :metal

Exactly.  It is literally impossible to not sing along to. :coolio

Quote from: Jirpo on December 08, 2011, 04:39:36 AM
I'm just getting into this band courtesy of my friend! They are awesome.

Sweet.  What songs and albums are you digging? :)

Not sure about songs yet cause I've just been listening to the full albums, and I can't put a name to the songs cause I can't remember where they were on the album :p. I know I like The Island though. And The Crane Wife is probably my favourite so far. Awesome album! :)
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Offline KevShmev

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Re: The Decemberists
« Reply #159 on: December 11, 2011, 08:18:04 AM »
The Crane Wife is great, for sure.  I like Picaresque a bit more, as it is more consistently great; The Crane Wife consistency tails off a bit in the middle with the bland When the War Comes, and I am still somewhat iffy on Shankill Butchers.  The Crane Wife 3, like The Rake's Song, is impossible for me to not sing along to.  :coolio
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Offline Jirpo

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Re: The Decemberists
« Reply #160 on: December 11, 2011, 06:31:49 PM »
I can't wait to explore the rest of their discography deeper!
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Offline KevShmev

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Re: The Decemberists
« Reply #161 on: December 13, 2011, 12:43:44 PM »
Keep us posted in this thread when you do! :tup :tup
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Offline skydivingninja

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Re: The Decemberists
« Reply #162 on: December 13, 2011, 02:24:13 PM »
FIND HIM, BIND HIM, TIE HIM TO A POLE AND BREAK HIS FINGERS TO SPLINTERS.  DRAG HIM TO A HOLE UNTIL HE WAKES UP, NAKED, CLAWING AT THE CEILING OF HIS GRAVE. 
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Offline Sigz

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Re: The Decemberists
« Reply #163 on: December 13, 2011, 02:35:47 PM »
 :heart
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Online Mladen

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Re: The Decemberists
« Reply #164 on: January 16, 2012, 07:50:03 AM »
Ranking the albums after a month and a half of being a fan:

The Crane wife
Picaresque
Castaways and cutouts
The Hazards of love
Her Majesty, The Decemberists
The King is dead

Their last album turned out to be a lackluster, half of the songs really don't do anything for me, which is a shame because Dear Avery, Down by the water and This is why we fight are a lot of fun.

The Crane wife is my absolute favorite, it has to be one of the best albums I discovered in 2011 and one of my all time favorites, top 50 indeed - an album with 8 perfect songs out of 10 has to make it so high on my list.
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Offline KevShmev

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Re: The Decemberists
« Reply #165 on: January 16, 2012, 12:20:00 PM »
I am generally okay with that order, although I'd swap 1 & 2 and 3 & 4.  Her Majesty... is definitely 5th best, and The King Is Dead is definitely the least best.

Which two songs do you consider not perfect from The Crane Wife?  For me, When the War Came stands out as easily the only weak song, and while Shankill Butchers is better than I originally thought, it still is less than perfect as well.
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Offline Gorille85

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Re: The Decemberists
« Reply #166 on: January 16, 2012, 12:35:02 PM »
The King is Dead
The Crane Wife
The Hazards of Love
Picaresque
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Offline antigoon

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Re: The Decemberists
« Reply #167 on: January 16, 2012, 01:10:22 PM »
I'm waiting for the rest of the Decemberists' catalog to resonate with me the way The King is Dead has but it just ain't happening :lol
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Offline Gorille85

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Re: The Decemberists
« Reply #168 on: January 16, 2012, 01:14:27 PM »
Quote from: antigoon on January 16, 2012, 01:10:22 PM
I'm waiting for the rest of the Decemberists' catalog to resonate with me the way The King is Dead has but it just ain't happening :lol

Got to agree with that!
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Offline KevShmev

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Re: The Decemberists
« Reply #169 on: January 16, 2012, 01:37:38 PM »
You guys are goofy. :biggrin: ;)
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Offline Nel

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Re: The Decemberists
« Reply #170 on: January 16, 2012, 01:42:49 PM »
The Hazards Of Love
The King Is Dead
The Crane Wife
Castaways And Cutouts
Her Majesty The Decemberists
Picaresque
5 Songs
Long Live The King
The Tain

The problem with most of their albums is that there will only be about 2 or 3 fantastic songs while the rest is filler. THoL had the strength of being a concept album that plays like one giant song, TKiD was just a style I really enjoyed, and The Crane Wife has the advantage of two epics being on it. Aaaaand the EPs do virtually nothing for me.
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Online Mladen

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Re: The Decemberists
« Reply #171 on: January 17, 2012, 03:03:15 AM »
Quote from: KevShmev on January 16, 2012, 12:20:00 PM
Which two songs do you consider not perfect from The Crane Wife?  For me, When the War Came stands out as easily the only weak song, and while Shankill Butchers is better than I originally thought, it still is less than perfect as well.
Shankill butchers is definitely less good than the rest of the album. The other one I don't really enjoy is Sons and daughters, it's not nearly as interesting as the rest of the album. I wish the album ended with the title track, which is probably my favorite on the record. As for When the war came, I love the angry vibe it has, the heavy riffs and some odd time signatures here and there are very refreshing. ''
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Offline KevShmev

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Re: The Decemberists
« Reply #172 on: January 17, 2012, 10:21:26 AM »
 ??? :eek

Sons and Daughters destroyed me on my first run-through of The Crane Wife, so I can't agree with that at all.

But I agree that The Crane Wife 1 & 2 is the best song on the album.  It seems like more prefer The Island, but not me.  Both are terrific, but the title track is better (both of them).
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Offline Gorille85

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Re: The Decemberists
« Reply #173 on: January 17, 2012, 10:26:33 AM »
When the War Came is good it's weird that you don't like it.
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Offline KevShmev

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Re: The Decemberists
« Reply #174 on: January 17, 2012, 10:29:37 AM »
Me calling it a weak song might have been an understatement.  I just meant that it is weak compared to the rest of the record.  I don't dislike it per se, but I am just not crazy about it.
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