Right Away, Great Captain!
The Church of the Good Thief


4.5
superb

Review

by Scoot USER (47 Reviews)
July 17th, 2012 | 49 replies


Release Date: 2012 | Tracklist

Review Summary: Andy Hull brings his sailor's life to a close and, in doing so, creates his crowning achievement as a musician.

Sailors must surely be forced to deal with immeasurable amounts of stress while being out at sea alone. Loved ones are left ashore, social contact is limited and a large amount of trust is placed in the waters below for safekeeping. With nothing but miles of open ocean to keep one company, the spool of thread that keeps the mind sharp may start to unravel. Andy Hull (of Manchester Orchestra fame) sought out to capture this very experience and channel it into a series of three albums, starting with 2007’s The Bitter End. 2008’s The Eventually Home was a substantial improvement on the debut, proving Hull capable of producing quality works in more than one genre. It’s only fitting that The Church of the Good Thief, the last in Hull’s lo-fi folk trilogy, is the finest of the three and his crowning achievement as a musician.

Right Away, Great Captain! is a large departure from Hull’s work with Manchester Orchestra; the majority of the music is simply vocals and an acoustic guitar. This is Hull at his darkest and most vulnerable, questioning his character’s morals and will to survive amongst other things. A natural progression has been made from the first two albums, as the sailor is starting to resign himself to death instead of simply mourning his situation. The songwriting is phenomenal, with catchy hooks lining every song and a number of memorable lines to be found throughout the lyrics (“Mother, I noticed that one of the men on the cross was allowed to come down.”) There’s a feeling of dread and despair in Hull’s voice that grows larger as his character gets closer to dying, making the experience seem far more real than one might expect prior to listening. The album’s standout track is Fur Stop Caring, a heartfelt ballad that reflects on the sailor’s self-worth and contains one of the more memorable choruses Hull has ever written.

The Church of the Good Thief is a fantastic finale, capturing every painful emotion that has been building up since The Bitter End and releasing everything into the wild. Each individual song has its own story to tell, but together they deliver an experience that isn’t easy to come across on a regular basis. Hull’s bitter and desperate tone makes it easy to sympathize with a character who doesn’t even exist, and that is a sign of a truly enveloping listen. The only downside is that there is no story left to tell.



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user ratings (231)
4
excellent
other reviews of this album
MagmaWalrus (4.5)
A brilliant finale and a testament to the power of storytelling through music....

related reviews

The Eventually Home

The Bitter End
recommended by reviewer
Elliott Smith Either/Or


Comments:Add a Comment 
Scoot
July 17th 2012


22697 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

in short this rules get it

Recspecs
July 17th 2012


9911 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

These guys are coming to my town at the end of this month and I really want to see them, but I should probably listen to this first lol.

Scoot
July 17th 2012


22697 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

yes you should

Recspecs
July 17th 2012


9911 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

Sweet I'll take pics and post them on fuckbook and tag you in them so you get jelly.

Recspecs
July 17th 2012


9911 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

Oh sweet this is on Spotify, brb gonna listen now.

Scoot
July 17th 2012


22697 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

"Tbh the quality takes a nosedive half way through"



hardly the case, though i'll agree that the first half is better.



if the first half is a 5 and the second a 4, 4.5 is the right score

FromDaHood
July 17th 2012


9111 Comments


Missed this concert yesterday because I got the date wrong. Let me know how it is luke

Recspecs
July 17th 2012


9911 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

I will I'm digging this already and I'm only two tracks in.

chambered49
July 17th 2012


1727 Comments


interesting

Scoot
July 17th 2012


22697 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

nah fur stop caring >



and its almost like two albums, the first side being more upbeat and the second being down

Recspecs
July 17th 2012


9911 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

The first five tracks are just omg.

theacademy
Emeritus
July 17th 2012


31865 Comments


nul·li·fy   [nuhl-uh-fahy] Show IPA
verb (used with object), nul·li·fied, nul·li·fy·ing.
1. to render or declare legally void or inoperative: to nullify a contract.
2. to deprive (something) of value or effectiveness; make futile or of no consequence.

on the fence as to whet her the second definition works for your use. not really sure tbh... :/

Scoot
July 17th 2012


22697 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

poor choice of words on my part

Recspecs
July 17th 2012


9911 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

Potential aoty, might raise this to a 5 in time.

theacademy
Emeritus
July 17th 2012


31865 Comments


yea "limited" is what i was thinking too

ZedO
July 17th 2012


1096 Comments


When I Met Death is my fav track atm

Aids
July 17th 2012


24542 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

wait Andy Hull..

Aids
July 17th 2012


24542 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

oh man I neeeeeed this

MagmaWalrus
July 17th 2012


243 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

Fur Stop Caring is maybe his best song.

Treeman
July 17th 2012


1425 Comments


cap'n crunch nigga



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