The Crane Wife (2006) is the upcoming album by The Decemberists, currently slated to be released on October 3, 2006.

The album was inspired by a Japanese folk tale, and will center around two song cycles, The Crane Wife and The Island, the latter of which is said to be "in the twelve-minute range.
Autumnal songs with old Japanese folk tale.
Rating:7.5/10
Modern Music Review
The Crane Wife refers ten miserable songs to listeners.Opening song and the long second (12 min) are difficult to analyze or understand,actually it paralyses you,complicated folk and indie tunes,screaming vocals.You shouldn't put a long song at the opening of cd.If you do that you encourage people to think like 'This album won't finished' or 'Oh,which song i was listening,i need to look its name'.So listener drowned,you were late."Yankee Bayonet (I Will Be Home Then)" which is a song Duet with Laura Veirs has still the same fagged atmosphere.

Thanks to God!"O Valencia" and "The Perfect Crime 2" have arrived and saved us!Because Sadness and specious joyful balanced in this two song clean up the things.Still "O Valencia" hasn't got such as wonderful lyrics which are mainly so cliche 'Valencia And I’ll burn this whole city down.' but "The Perfect Crime 2" is really attractive,more alive and kicking.Following that "When The War Came" which is vigorous indie pop melody,most notably in the direction of progressive rock with a strong folk influence.The guitars are routinely the same in this song.

After three strong song,The sound changes to folk melodies story goes on with an acustic guitar
on the backround.I liked "Shankill Butchers" more than the two opening songs "The Crane Wife 3" and the other long named one.The Story of the Crane Wife is mostly strong,lyrics are successful.

Quote from "Shankill Butchers":
The shankill butchers run tonight
They're waiting until the dead of the night
They're picking at their fingers with their knives
And whiping off their cleavers on their thighs

"Summersong" is one the strongest effort from The Crane Life,you should listen this one,
enchanting."The Crane Wife" doesn’t seem to push the boundaries as much as Colin would like.
It’s primarily a sad album, with almost every song on the album featuring a deranged or
sad tale.Especially song like "Summersong","The Crane Wife 1 And 2","Sons And Daughters"
are the strongest end of album songs."Summersong" which is so effective and folk influenced
melody.You won't be disappointed with The Crane Wife,because they didn't change the distinctive Decemberists melodies and welcome nice new songs!
MM picks:The Perfect Crime 2,Shankill Butchers,Summersong
Listen:Summersong(...), O Valencia(...)
You may also like:
Neutral Milk Hotel - In Aeroplane Over
Devendra Banhart - Nino Rojo

The Official Decemberists Site