Typically, a 12 minute, 3-part song vaguely written as allegory about William Shakespeare’s The Tempest would intimidate most listeners. Include this on a major label debut, and it most certainly spells disaster. But this is exactly what The Decemberists have done on The Crane Wife. Bucking the trend of successful indie bands with disappointing major label debuts (see: Death Cab for Cutie), The Decemberists seem to take their signing as a mandate from the music gods. The Crane Wife is their most ambitious and far reaching album to date.

Colin Meloy, the Helena, Montana native who somehow sings with a Brogue, essentially dares listeners to keep up. Evoking both The Doors’ aggressively continuous organ melodic runs and Pink Floyd’s stomping percussion on the aforementioned The Island, Meloy seemlessly fuses modern folk, classic rock, and amazing storytelling. This theme is repeated flawlessly on nearly every track. More than any of their other albums, his influences are more blatantly on display. Even the titling of songs summons the iconic Aeroplane Over The Sea with numbers on three tracks (whether this is an intentional nod to Neutral Milk Hotel remains to be seen). The first track, The Crane Wife 3, built similarly to most Aeroplane songs, contains only three chords, yet somehow sets the tone. A driving drum beat, sans snare, slowly builds to crescendo of piano and feedback guitar that segways seamlessly into The Tempest inspired The Island. Beach Boys and Gibb Brother harmony lines appear sporadically, most notably on Summersong, one of the weaker tracks, and Yankee Bayonet.

On the standout track, The Perfect Crime #2, the organ and bass take center stage. Set up with a one chord groove providing the entire verse backing, Meloy once again paints a picture, describing a robbery involving “Five and twenty burglars by the reservoir / a teenage lookout on the signal tower.” A perfectly distorted guitar that juts in after the simple chorus provides just enough of a break before the next chapter of the burglary begins. The brilliance of this song comes from the lack of emotion provided in the lyrics, as though the crime is the only thing that matters- “The valley’s sleeping like a bastard / it stinks with slumbering disaster.” The casualties of the crime are irrelevant regarding it’s success. Unfortunately, it is followed by the overraught When The War Came, a Led-Zepplin-esque rhythmic misstep.

Those searching for the typical Decemberists’ CD will be disappointed upon first listen. There is no Red, Right Ankle, nor Here, I Dreamt I Was An Architect present on The Crane Wife. This, however, will be the album that we look upon in several years and regard as a turning point for the band. Whether that turn is down a good or bad road, we will see.

Colin Meloy doing “Shankhill Butchers”

Let’s just assume that Hutch Harris and Kathy Foster aren’t on Pat Robertson and James Dobson’s Xmas card list. The latest release from the Portland punk outfit on SubPop Records paints our nation as a fucked-up Christian theocracy/fascist government.

From initial listens, it doesn’t sound like they are on board with the idea as the quasi-concept album starts with “Here’s Your Future” and it’s fear mongering first verse, “God reached his hand down from the sky / He flooded the land, then set it on fire / He said, fear me again know I’m your father / Remember that no one can breathe under water,” consistent with many Christian leaders these days that pretty much lets you where this disc is headed.

“Returning To The Fold” (my favorite track) is dripping with contempt as he explores the born again Christians making their way back to the flock. “I forgot I needed God like a big brother” is such a perfect line to mock individuals who can’t seem to tie their shoelaces without the Lord or Pat Robertson’s approval.

This disc isn’t for everyone. It’s loud, combative and abrasive in parts and obviously is not keen on the war and our religious overlords. But if you are down on the current state of our country or are just willing to listen to Hutch wail over some solid punk chords, give it a listen.

Here’s Your Future

A Pillar of Salt

This post originally started out as a review of The Killers new disc and how I felt that they had done The Boss a disservice by mentioning his name during their press junkets for their new disc. Simply singing about highways and utilizing worn cliches doesn’t put you in The Boss’ stratosphere.

As I was having dinner with the family this evening, I put on Lucero’s Rebels, Rogues and Sworn Brothers. I don’t know if it is the fact that I love these guys, had Bruce on the mind or have just plain not been getting enough sleep since the twins were born, but this is a band that reminds me of Bruce. By no means do they sound like Bruce, but the fourth song on the disc, “I Can Get Us Out Of Here Tonight” really struck a chord with me. Starting with the first verse “Jenny lights her cigarette/ Wonders how she got in this mess/Saturday night - wrong side of the bed,” the lyrics sound like something Bruce would write. The chorus follows suit but then towards the end of the song after an excellent guitar solo, the song ends with Ben Nichols singing the final verse over a simple piano much like The Boss with “The Professor” Roy Bittan.

Lucero’s earlier albums were tremendous, but this album has seen them clearly take a major step to the next level. Ben Nichols sounds as if he just washed down a bucket of rusty nails with Jack Daniels but good god. If he isn’t Patterson Hood’s equal I don’t know who is. Every word out of his mouth is filled with emotion and heartfelt sentiment that is not often heard in today’s music. Lucero has always had a great sound, very full but I believe the addition of keys and piano provided by Rick Steff and their natural progression as musicians has allowed them to round out their music in a much more complete sound.

From the haunting and driving “The Weight Of Guilt” with its ominous chorus, “If You Can Bear No Cross, You Can Wear No Crown”; the slow build of “1979” singing of a lost love and “nights so long, that they kill a man..” to the gentle final song “She Wakes When She Dreams” this is one of top albums of 2006.

Maybe before Brandon Flowers takes on such a big project next time he should check out a few Lucero discs and watch the amazing Dreaming In America that shows the growth and struggles of a real band. I grew up on The Boss and he is an American icon with very few peers. Lucero, while obviously not one of them, are a band I feel he would be proud of and enjoy listening to.

Lucero Acoustic in St. Louis

In late November we’ll be introduced to Swan Lake, the new band featuring Daniel Bejar (Destroyer, New Pornographers), Spencer Krug (Wolf Parade, Sunset Rubdown) and Carey Mercer (Frog Eyes). The album, Best Moans, is on the Jagjaguwar label, which is also home to Okkervil River and Black Mountain. It sounds like a recipe for success…or a witch’s brew.

Wolf Parade’s Apologies to the Queen Mary was one of the best albums of ’05. They had some kind of magic formula where the whole was greater than the sum of its parts. Spencer Krug and gang had the unique ability to make mediocre songs transcendent with guitar-driven, pop indie-rock and quirky vocals.

Spencer almost pulls away from mediocrity on Swan Lake’s “All Fires,” but not quite. If that song were the precursor to the next Wolf Parade album, it would be reminiscent of Black Rebel Motorcycle Club’s stripped down, acoustic approach on Howl. It’s a decent song, but not a standout. “Freedom” was even less impressive leading me to believe that with Swan Lake, the sum of the parts may outweigh the whole on their upcoming album.

It will be interesting to see how this collaboration pans out. Neither of the first songs released to the public will find any space on my iPod.

The MP3’s are here. What do you think?

Listen to “All Fires” by Swan Lake

Listen to “The Freedom” by Swan Lake