Though death, war, greed, and murder enshroud the album's thematic framework, The Crane Wife is a resounding celebration of life. No matter how dark the words may get, the album's spirit is buoyed by boundless energy and an expansive musical vocabulary. Styles and influences abound -- shades of Pink Floyd, Yes, and Fairport Convention trade off with more anthemic touchstones like middle-period R.E.M., the Waterboys, and even early U2 -- but the sound of the Decemberists is unique in contemporary pop music.