The Decemberists' The Hazards of Love

© Autumn DeWilde

The Decemberists' The Hazards of Love

Who doesn't enjoy a good Irish-folk-rock-opera every now and then?

Released in March of 2009 by Columbia records, "The Hazards Of Love" offers listeners a complete story through song. Originally meant to be a single track (spawned from a 1966 EP by Anne Briggs,) The Decemberists' Colin Meloy instead found himself composing an entire musical tale of mystery, fantasy, and heartbreak.

"Hazards" tells the story of a young woman named Margaret, her shape-shifting lover, a nasty forest queen and a cold-blooded rake. Wisps of this narrative can be understood by simply listening to the album, but in order to comprehend the full tale it is necessary to turn to the CD liner. However, not knowing the story is half the fun, and it is certainly not vital to understand the fable in order to appreciate the fantastic vocals and epic music.

Meloy sings all of the male roles, while the female vocals are performed by Lavender Diamond's Becky Stark and My Brightest Diamond's Shara Worden. There are also brief appearances by My Morning Jacket's Jim James and Robyn Hitchcock and The Spinanes' Rebecca Gates. It is with this cast that thunderous and over the top metal songs are mixed with sweet Irish lullabies and delivered in one rock opera. Pieces like "The Rake's Song" fire you up with beating drums and vile lyrics, while "The Interlude" calms and sooths you with its instrumentals of sad violin.

The variety of music on this album is what makes it one of The Decemberists most advanced works yet. Although fiercely sticking to distinct styles and riffs throughout "Hazards," each piece also stands alone in its uniqueness. On the whole there is no doubt that it is a pretentious piece of music; The Decemberists will not stand idly by while their fans rest upon their laurels and simply listen. We are expected to follow, to be woken up and jolted from track to track, and during "Hazards" we are more than happy to do so.

Although Meloy's voice is beautifully distinct in its key and vibrato, some of the loveliest pieces are the ones sung by the women. Stark's pleading and high honeyed vocals in "Won't Want For Love (Margaret In The Tagia)" are enough to conjure up images of sweet Margaret trapped in the forest while pining for her love. As "The Queen" Worden's voice slithers and sooths the ear, teasing us in such a way that  we find ourselves eager to take whatever poison apple she may be offering.

The Decemberists took a risk with this album, and for this we must give them credit. Creating a linear story through song is always a dangerous undertaking considering the inevitable comparisons (who says the words 'rock opera' without thinking of The Who's TOMMY?) But "The Hazards Of Love" is a triumphant work, and truly an adventurous album. It is important to take the entire work for what it is and not nit-pick the details. Keep the drama, and allow The Decemberists to transport you to wherever they desire – I guarantee it will be lovely there.