...O Captain, My Captain...Rarely does an album review require a spoiler alert. But the plotline of the finale of the Right Away, Great Captain! trilogy is potentially of more interest to some fans than the music. Manchester Orchestra majordomo Andy Hull first introduced the central character—a 17th century sailor who catches his wife in bed with his brother—in 2007’s minimalistic The Bitter End. The Church Of The Good Thief picks up after the implied murderous cliffhanger of 2008’s eclectic The Eventually Home, but that doesn’t mean you’ll be lost if this is your entry into the series.
Hull’s ethereal lyricism is simultaneously specific and symbolic, setting scenes deep within the RAGC mythology but still lending phrases to personal interpretation.
There’s resignation in the character’s reflection, but each of the 11 songs on The Church Of The Good Thief is placed with pointed purpose to push listeners towards a solemn but satisfying end to the journey. The concept rarely feels like a concept at all, and Hull has been almost entirely successful as both a songwriter and storyteller without falling into the easy trappings of either. Still, three albums is a long time to span within one story—especially one so emotionally exhausting—and by the time the trilogy closes with the two-part “Memories From The End,” moments tend to drag. Of course, maybe that was Hull’s intention all along.
