The Crane Wife, their third studio album, is a sprawling double-disc set that revisits the folk-rock and maritime themes of their earlier work while pushing their sonic ambitions further. The album is notable for its ambitious narrative structure and its blend of acoustic textures with more muscular rock arrangements.
- The album's title track is an 11-minute epic that retells a Japanese folk tale.
- The Crane Wife was the band's first release on a major label, Capitol Records, after their previous albums on the independent Hush Records.
- The album charted at number 113 on the Billboard 200.
The Decemberists are a Portland, Oregon-based band known for their intricate, literate indie rock. At the time of The Crane Wife's release, they were consolidating their reputation as masters of the concept album and preparing for a higher profile.
Tracklist
