The Decemberists - The Crane Wife

For a band from Portland, I have to admit I was not as early an adopter as I should have been with the Decemberists. It wasn't until this, their fourth record, that I really got into them.

This is one of the few good news stories of a band doing their best work on their first major label release. Usually this is where the long time fans turn against them and the talk of a sell out begins. Not so with Crane Wife. It has gotten huge critical praise and has been by far their best selling record.

Everybody loves this record because it has something for everyone. It's a pop record that has a couple of tracks that could easily make it into high rotation on Top 40 radio. The lyrics are very high brow and intellectual, so critics and the NPR set get to look smart recommending it. Musically the record is complex yet easy to listen to. And lastly, it allows me to get something new into the top 100.