The Hazards of Love

It's like a rock opera fairytale. Usually I listen these albums during my car commute. And so I did with this. But it gave me the urge to listen it again, with the lyrics in front of me to really get the full story.

Love the Decemberists and love this album. 5 stars.

8/10. I do really like it when Rock Operas actually have different singers for different characters, makes it a lot easier to follow. And there really isn't enough modern music about people getting fucked over by forest spirits, so this was an enjoyable listen for me.

The ultra rare album where the closing track may be the best one?

This is why I still like to listen to the user albums. Sometimes there's an entrance which you just like. At first it sounded just folky but later there was also a rawness with heavy guitars and a kind of progressive feel also, especially the song 'The Wanting Comes in Waves/ Repaid' which I found quite appealing with that epic chorus. But they kept the quality going til the end. Chapeau!

What a pleasant surprise to find one of my favorite cult bands here. It's not the album I would have chosen from their discography, but The Decemberists have always seemed to me like one of those bands incapable of making a mediocre or bad album. They've been getting closer and closer to pop, but I always saw it more as a natural evolution than as a pretense to reach more people. And their latest albums are just as enjoyable. Even more so, in fact. Great thanks to whoever posted it for giving me this joyful time on the streets of Basel

I wish they'd go hard more than they go pretty, and I wish they'd altogether avoid going twangy.

Love this one

My general issue with the Decemberists has been finding them too faux old-timey and leaning too heavy on affectation and quirk. The lyrical and musical leitmotifs and harder rock edges in this album did a lot to temper those tendencies, though my eyes still rolled a bit at some of the more bombastic murder-ballady stuff.

Yeah. Really strong narrative sound, although maybe a song or 2 too many.

Used to like them in college. But it always feels a bit one-dimensional.

Hazards lacks some of the titular hazards as it rounds the generational line and covers the wide American musical landscape. The twangle achieves full body as country music at the end, something that may have been a more complete feel for the album.

Not bad 3

A rock opera with folk-based instrumentation and vocals (reminds me of Neutral Milk Hotel and Fleet Foxes), country and metal touches, classic 2000s indie energy (like Arcade Fire), and an enveloping atmosphere that creates tension and drives the story. I like how the songs are strung together and flow seamlessly between each other, as well as the reoccurring themes that are spun with new twists to keep the record fresh and familiar. The interludes are nice to give breaks between the intensity and loudness of most tracks. I didn't like how rambly this album was compared to their others. I found the melodies less interesting (for the most part), and less emotion and soul in the vocals. It reminds me a lot of overly-commercial 90s alt rock. Picaresque had much stronger songs. This album has some highlights too, but with how scattered the tracks move around, it's hard to have the same impact. Great for a rock opera, and suited for an enveloping story with quality music. Favorites: The Wanting Comes in Waves / Repaid, The Rake's Song, The Queen's Rebuke / The Crossing

Didn't like it

Interesting Indie concept album and if I had time to listen to the lyrics/story I may have gotten more out of it, but as someone else said, they are too one dimensional in their sound

No, not this. 2/5.