The Decemberists-The Hazards Of Love

[revporl]

I've just got this and have really been getting into it over the last few days. I was made aware of the band through them having done a Grateful Dead cover on their last album, but was intrigued by the idea of this one, and it really hasn't disappointed at all.

It's a rock opera based around a pagan folk story http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hazards_of_Love , complete with guest vocalists and musical themes which reccur throughout the album, and throughout individual tracks. There are solid british folk-rock influences in there, Penangle, early Fairport, Tull and it expands beyond it's rootsy base in a way that qualifies as being prog, there's loud, angular guitar parts ( a little Sabbathy), tracks broken up and fused into single extended tracks like "Wanting Comes in Waves/Repaid".

I'm becoming a bit obsessed with this one and reckon if it had come out in 1971, it would be considered a classic of it's genre.

Anyone else heard this? What else is worth checking out by the band? They are touring in the new year, do they still sound like this?

[NogbadTheBad]

There was a lot of talk about the band when this came out. The previous album, The Crane Wife, is even better. They've changed a lot since then.

[kristi]

I really like the Decemberists. I do mot have The Hazards of Love- I'll have to pick that up- but they are releasing a new one early next year called What a Terrible World, What a beautiful World.
I saw them live about three years ago- great show, very diverse audience.

The last album, The King is Dead, had a more country music feel, which made it more challenging for me at first but I love it now.

In addition to The Crane Wife, I recommend Picaresque and Her Majesty the Decemberists. Lots of epic poetry and stories set to music- very original. I don't think I recall any other band doing exactly what they do, and the vocals are pretty distinctive.

They are touring this spring. It looks like NYC is already sold out.

[Joe F.]

The Tain EP is another good one.

[Yves]

I pretty much enjoy their entire discography. While The King Is Dead and its companion EP Long Live The King were more straightforward folkie releases, they remain very solid. Colin Melloy is, imo, a fantastic craftsman of both lyrics and music. I look forward to another release and hopefully another tour through here. It will be 4 years since they played here...

[revporl]

They are playing the UK in February, not sure if its part of a larger European tour

[Wounded Land]

This is a great album that totally ruled my world the year it came out. I would put The Crane Wife just below it, but the rest of their discography hasn't hit me in the same way.

If you like Jethro Tull's folk period, I'm pretty sure you'd love this.

[Scrotum Scissor]

They've changed a lot since then.

Yes, and not altogether for the better - IMHO. I still listen to this one on occasion.

[Lieto]

Love Decemberists. This is a great album indeed, but I much prefer The Crane Wife and The King is Dead. Really excited for the new one next year

[Jerjo]

The King is Dead was a step back from the epic scale of The Crane Wife and The Hazards of Love. I think it is a move Colin Meloy had to make it. Some great songs there but I miss the big scale albums. I wonder where he'll go now.

[zombywoof]

Great album! Don't have The Crane Wife, but this one is lots of fun.

[Lebofsky]

I saw them live both on the Hazards of Love tour and Crane Wife tour. Their two best albums, though I like parts from all the others.

Shara Worden, who sang on the HoL album (and on the tour) is an amazing singer/composer/multi-instrumentalist in her own right. I highly suggest checking out her band My Brightest Diamond.

- Matt

[Boydie]

Love the Decemberists and the Hazards of Love - saw them play this live in London and it was awesome! This and the Crane Wife have so many Tull influences. The keyboard player is a big Tull fan. Thick as a Brick is all over these two albums.

[Digital_Man]

They were on Conan O'Brien not too long ago(pretty sure it was Conan could have been some other show)and were pretty good. I don't see how they are prog or even proggish but still a good band. They seem more like folk to me.

[Fracktured]

They were on Conan O'Brien not too long ago(pretty sure it was Conan could have been some other show)and were pretty good. I don't see how they are prog or even proggish but still a good band. They seem more like folk to me.

The Hazards of Love and The Crane Wife have many proggy moments. Not so much on their other releases.

[Digital_Man]

The Hazards of Love and The Crane Wife have many proggy moments. Not so much on their other releases.

I guess those will be the ones I get first then.

[Plasmatopia]

They have proggy moments? So they're like a folk version of Styx?

Not a bad band at all, I like some of HoL...but will have to give it another chance as I was mystified as to the whereabouts of anything like prog....

[notallwhowander]

From what I've heard, I'd peg The Crane Wife as the best, followed up by Picaresque. There is plenty of great on The Hazards of Love, but its hard for me to listen to all of it at one go.

They're a folk inflected rock band with firm indy origins. They're proggy in as much as when Colin Melloy needed to expand song structures beyond pop constraints to tell his stories, he did. He didn't shy away from a full-blown concept album either. While the band never embraced progginess, they didn't avoid it either. For the uninitiated check this out, when you have ten minutes to listen to an old-fashioned ghost story:

[Stevie B]

They have proggy moments? So they're like a folk version of Styx?

Not a bad band at all, I like some of HoL...but will have to give it another chance as I was mystified as to the whereabouts of anything like prog....

I don't see how The Hazards of Love could be any MORE prog! It starts out with those sinister keyboard chords, reminiscent of Watcher of the Skies, it ends with what sounds like a pastiche of Wish You Were Here, and in between is a long rambling concept piece comprising shape-shifting, infanticide, faerie...I mean come on!

I love it by the way, ditto The Crane Wife, and ditto many, many songs from their other albums. I think The King is Dead is actually a reversion to the kind of folk rock they were doing on Picaresque, so maybe on reflection Crane Wife/Hazards was a diversion...

[Oreb]

I think The King is Dead is actually a reversion to the kind of folk rock they were doing on Picaresque

IMO these are their two best albums, but I don't hear much similarity. There is a rootsy feel to King that isn't on Picaresque.

[mnprogger]

ultimately, I felt disappointed in this record. It's kind of samey, despite being a concept record.

I would say The Tain, The Crane Wife and Picaresque are their best. Her Majesty and Castaways and Cutouts both have their moments. The King is Dead honestly bored me to tears. Their new record I've heard and I suppose it is okay, but I'm kind of disappointed me at this point given it's been 4 years.

[thedunno]

Personally I like Picaresque and The Crane Wife best, closely followed by the Tain and Hazards.

I think the real strenght of Colin Meloy is that he is able to tell wonderfull stories in 4 or 5 minutes. His concept album feels a bit over the top and forced to me, although there are plenty of strong tunes on it.

[Yves]

They're a folk inflected rock band with firm indy origins. They're proggy in as much as when Colin Melloy needed to expand song structures beyond pop constraints to tell his stories, he did. He didn't shy away from a full-blown concept album either. While the band never embraced progginess, they didn't avoid it either.

I think this is an excellent description of this band.

[Kcrimso]

The Crane Wife was brilliant album. It has been steady downhill since.

[Plasmatopia]

I don't see how The Hazards of Love could be any MORE prog! It starts out with those sinister keyboard chords, reminiscent of Watcher of the Skies, it ends with what sounds like a pastiche of Wish You Were Here, and in between is a long rambling concept piece comprising shape-shifting, infanticide, faerie...I mean come on!

I love it by the way, ditto The Crane Wife, and ditto many, many songs from their other albums. I think The King is Dead is actually a reversion to the kind of folk rock they were doing on Picaresque, so maybe on reflection Crane Wife/Hazards was a diversion...

Well, I'll give this another listen....although I happen to be one of those that doesn't hear much "prog" in Pink Floyd (and I don't care much for their music for some reason) so this just might not be for me. I also have Picaresque, but I think I found even less to like on that one. This seems to be one of those bands where opinions are all over the map, making it hard to make sense of what albums I might like.


Edit: not that music has to have prog elements to be enjoyable...far from it. But it might help this band, lol...