[rating:79/100]

Whenever I listen to The Decemberists I can’t help but wish the album was accompanied with Spark Notes. Even though I’ve read a book or two in my time, sometimes I wonder what Colin Meloy really means when he sings, for example, “the prettiest whistles won’t wrestle the thistles undone.” Or what swans/cranes symbolize in his lyrics. From what I understand, the songs in their latest LP, The Hazards of Love, tell the story of Margaret (sung by Lavender Diamond’s Becky Stark) and William (Meloy). More specifically their love story that is, well, hazardous because there is a “jealous forest queen” (My Brightest Diamond’s Shara Worden) involved.

Admittedly, I am a huge fan of The Decemberists, but when I first began listening to The Hazards of Love I was having difficulty absorbing it. For starters, it’s a lengthy album, which isn’t uncommon for them. With 17 tracks, the entire album spans almost a full hour. I’m not complaining though, just warning those who have yet to listen to it that they’re in for quite a journey and will likely need to listen a few times to take it all in. With all that said and done, once you do, I hope that, like me, you’ll be in an awe of sorts. I mean, did you ever think you’d hear a Decemberist’s song described as “hard rock.” This alone was enough to shock and excite me. Continue reading →