The Crane Wife by The Decemberists

Pros: The best of aught-six.
Cons: Where's Culling of the Fold?

In his 1868 book The Thirty-Six Dramatic Situations, French writer Georges Polti compiled a list of (you guessed it) thirty-six dramatic situations that encompassed the basic plot patterns of all works of fiction. While Polti himself admitted ...

Pros: Stories full of emotion, music full of hooks, and original.
Cons: Meloy's voice is different as is the band's music in general. Summersong doesn't impress.

I think every good story should have a musical score. So often songs connect with us in a way that we remember times and places just by hearing that song. In many ways music acts as a companion guide to life and love. It follows us through adolescence ...

Pros: enjoyable indie pop. Meloy rhymes words like aluminum and cinnamon among others.
Cons: You will feel like a pansy. No question about it.

For those of you unfamiliar with The Decemberists it should probably be made clear that they may very well embody the polar opposite of all stereotypes concerning rock and roll. The indie pop quintet is less parts sex and drugs and more parts intellect ...