The Hazards Of Love
by The Decemberists

From Brad1770 TOP 100 COMMENTER 12/13/2017 22:35 | #203077 | TOP COMMENT Vote up your preferred comments and the comments with the most votes will be flagged.

Looking to explore deep into The Decemberist’ back catalogue I went into this album completely blind and sweet mother of god! . A Rock Opera! . A god damn Rock Opera. To say I was surprised would be an understatement. The Decemberist’ AMERICAN IDIOT. The verdict? . Yeah it’s pretty good. I agree with previous posts that you need to listen to this album in its totality, I first listened on a long drive & it was perfect. The other suggestion I’d make is after your first listen look up the Hazards Of Love WIKI and learn the convoluted story under pinning the album then go back and listen to the album a second time. Finally my favourite parts of this release were the heaviest sections but the quiter moments work ok too. Easily one of my favourite Decemberist’ albums . Highly recommended if you haven’t listened to it. (Edited)

From ShaneSpear TOP 100 COMMENTER 05/31/2011 13:29 | #22501 | TOP COMMENT Vote up your preferred comments and the comments with the most votes will be flagged.

I love the music on this album. Not so high on the story about a shapeshifting fawn impregnating a girl and running away from his witch mother and a man who murdered off his three kids when his wife died. This wouldn't be a problem, except that you can't really take any of the songs on this album out of context. Annan Water, Wanting Comes in Waves, and especially Queen's Rebuke are some of the most beautiful, powerful, and heavy (respectively) songs The Decemberists have ever produced, but they make no sense if you listen to them by themselves. Great album if you're into the whole Bard's Tale sort of thing. It still gets a 75/100 based purely on music alone.

I have to admit that this album sends me to music heaven. I love it. As previoudly mentioned, you have to listen to the album as a whole rather than listening to isolated tracks. I love the re-occuring themes throughout the album. Take some time out & listren to the whoel thing. You won't be disappointed.

From paladisiac TOP 100 COMMENTER 12/09/2011 18:04 | #32487 | TOP COMMENT Vote up your preferred comments and the comments with the most votes will be flagged.

"hazards of love" continues in the "concept album" psychology of the crane wife. They wanted to do a rock opera broadway-kind-of piece but settled for a rock opera album. There are a handful of pretty good songs, but mostly I was disappointed by the lack of variety across the album. The concept idea both lifts the album as a whole but also weighs it down. It also becomes a bit boring to have 4 "hazards of love" and 3 "wanting" songs. But those pretty good songs, the concept album execution and vocal assistance from the "diamond girls" (who SLAY in concert) saves this album.

From junodog4 TOP 100 COMMENTER 07/06/2012 01:09 | #46014 | TOP COMMENT Vote up your preferred comments and the comments with the most votes will be flagged.

Ambitious. I saw them perform this album from start to finish at a folk fest... holy smokes - it looked exhausting. Only the Decemberists can pull of a concept as intricate and intense in storyline as Hazards. Another strong entry in their catalog.