Picaresque

'picaresque' is perhaps the most perfect decemeberists' album to date. it still retains the familiar conceits of sea chanties and victorian melodrama, typified by songs like 'from my own true love (lost at sea)' and 'eli'. but it expands the decemberists nautical palette to include a track like 'the sporting life', a whimsical belle and sebastian-esque song about a young inept athlete who dreads going out for sports at school. even better is 'sixteen military wives'. this is utterly unlike anyth