The Decemberists have come a long way from when their first EP was released—a simply orchestrated set of six songs that were devised of nothing more than vocals, a few guitars, some acoustic bass, accordion and perhaps an organ here or there. Across the span of four full-length albums and a few shorter EPs, the band has accrued many styles, and what seems like an entire army of support in fans. But nothing prior to this release could have even slightly prepared my ears for what they have created over the last two and a half years since
The Crane Wife hit stores. And this masterpiece encompasses sounds that I couldn't have even imagined to be this same band if I hadn't heard them in years past.
The band dabbled with the idea of a concept album with
The Crane Wife, when merely two songs dealt with the story in its title. But with the coming of
The Hazards of Love - from start to finish - nearly one hour of music - is entirety a flood of drama, romance, revenge, and excitement, that leaves me—listener and humble fan—breathless.
I. PreludeWhat begins as a small hum of sound grows continuously, and, with the addition of the organ and eventual strings, becomes a foreboding of the album as a whole. The song alone grants vision into the epic tale about to be told.
II. The Hazards of Love 1 (The Prettiest Whistles Won't Wrestle the Thistles Undone)I heard this song played by Colin solo over the winter, and to hear it finally put together with the rest of the band is pure bliss. As the first track featuring lyrics, it gave me hope for the rest of the album that Colin hadn't lost his touch for amazing wordplay, fascinating word choice, and - as always - perfection in the voicing of his lyrics (...perhaps I'm biased). The track seems to hit a climax in the third section when the drums kick in, softly persuading me to nod my head up and down in time. And as Colin repeats:
"Undone...,” and Chris' suave guitar solo exits; I am left gasping for more.
III. A Bower Scene"Hazards of Love 1", this, and the next song played seamlessly in Colin's live renditions, but of course, were missing the additions of his ensemble. This track may be one of my favorites in the album due to the effect it plays on me. Perpetually in crescendo, it continues to create suspense, leading ultimately in each verse to the hardest riff I've heard The Decemberists even dare to play, topped off with Colin's echoing voice fading into noise, and a perfect transition into the next track.
IV. Won't Want For Love (Margaret in the Taiga)With this song we are introduced to Margaret, voiced by Becky Stark of Lavender Diamond, whose voice penetrates even the weakest ear. The notion of using alternate voices in song to portray female characters has been used before in their songs - "Mariner's Revenge Song", "Chimbley Sweep", etc - but never before has it been used in this way, throughout the album, and so deeply focused. When listening it feels almost like an opera to which just the audio has been recorded. The attention and emotion is so evident that it makes me appreciate it that much more.
V. The Hazards of Love 2 (Wager All)Reverting back to the first of the quarter of title tracks, we are presented with simple guitar and Colin's vocals, lightly garlanded with Chris's guitar, Nate's bass, and harmonies, and slowly accented by John's drums. Entering just after Colin echoes,
"The hazards of love," are the gentle tones of Jenny's organ to serenade us into the second verse. What began as perhaps my least favorite song easily grows to woo me just as every other song has done, demanding that I sing along as loud as my lungs can allow,
"I will wager all!"VI. The Queen's ApproachIn enters the Queen's character, yet not her voice, and the story begins to complicate ever so slowly. And might I add, it had been a very long time gone from banjo in this band's music, and may it stay for good.
VII. Isn't it a Lovely Night?Voiced in duet by Becky and Colin, this song presents what little hopes one can have for light-hearted music in the album. Even the content of the lyrics is that of celebration rather than sorrow, displaying the birth of Margaret's child to William, her love. It's in times like these that I am reminded of the quirky band that I fell in love with from the beginning, when after the lyrics have passed, the waltz breaks in to serenade us a few rounds before regressing back to the story.
VIII. The Wanting Comes in Waves / RepaidPerhaps the most complex of the album's songs, broken into four parts, as if a mirroring conversation between son and mother, we are dropped right into the thick of the Queen's plot. This song defines solely in part one's chorus the genius that is Colin Meloy, if I can be so bold. Part two (and four respectively) enters the voice of the Queen - Shara Worden of My Brightest Diamond - strong and full of depth. I was very impressed with the range she showed, from the lows in the verse, to the very high notes she belts in the pinnacle of the song. But what most impressed me was how she took on the character of the Queen. Even when merely listening to the vocals, I can feel the effort she puts in and I can see the character in my mind. It's a truly inspiring performance.
IX. An InterludeA much needed relaxing song. Pure bliss: banjo, acoustic guitar in the foreground, echoing ambient guitar in the background, a song that reminds me very much of "Of Angels and Angles" (off of
Picaresque) in its style. A great addition, especially following the emotion driven song before it, and perhaps the song it precedes as well.
X. The Rake's SongWe've all heard it, or at least I hope we've all heard it. It might be the only song from the album fit to be a single, and maybe that's why they released it a good two months prior to the LP's release. Colin reminds us with the Rake that he is amazing at creating characters we love to hear of, and yet loathe the very core. He did it with the antagonist of "Mariner's Revenge Song", or that of "The Landlord's Daughter", or the "Shankill Butchers", and he does it again with the Rake. Beautifully woven into lyric, we learn that this man married at twenty-one, watched as his wife bore three children, and on the fourth, died during the birth, taking along the unborn - and "ugly," mind you - Myfanwy. So what does he do? He kills them one by one: by poison, by drowning, and lastly, by burning. Colin's sure done it, we loathe him, but we love to hear the story told:
"All right! All right! All right!"XI. The Abduction of MargaretReplaying to the tune of "A Bower Scene," the story of Margaret is resumed. Sort of an annex to one of my favorite songs on the album, I'm kindly rewarded with a couple more minutes to bang my head in rocking.
XII. The Queen's Rebuke / The CrossingAnd oh what a joy to find that that super rock riff is itself the foundation for a song of its own, sung by none other than Shara Worden, the Queen. Delicately played slowly, and lightly harmonized by soft vocals, this song is absolutely brilliant, not to mention a pretty cool solo by Chris Funk separating the two verses, and after to bridge between the two parts of the song, in which the organ plays again a strong role. The crossing is that of the wild river, spoken of in the song prior, and to which the next song is devoted, a rival to the title of my favorite song.
XIII. Annan WaterBeginning beautifully, with light ukulele, accordion, and shakers of course, then the entering of the strong acoustic 12-string that Colin so often uses, he chants my favorite verse of the album:
"Annan Water, you loom so deep and wide / I would cross over if you would stem the tide / Or build a boat that I might ford the other side / To reach the farther shore where my true love lies in wait for me." Alone this verse stands to show what beauty Colin can weave through his lyrics. The chorus of this song stands out a bit also, dropping what seems like any form of beat and rhythm, solely relying on Jenny's organ and Colin's voice to carry us, but all the more entrancing. And just as much, the brilliant solo work of Chris Funk in the interlude.
XIV. Margaret in CaptivityBack we are shown to Colin's guitar and solo voice, and a menacing feeling as Nate enters on his acoustic bass. The piece starts to find its place as Becky chants the same words Colin previously called in "Won't Want For Love." The song ends adding strings and building to a great climax fading into the next track.
XV. The Hazards of Love 3 (Revenge!)I told you there was revenge, just not for whom. It took me a few listens, I admit, to connect this piece to the album's story, but when finally identifying its lyrics, we are given vindication for the Rake's murdered children. In what might be the band's most haunting song to date, creepy organ, somewhat odd drums and sound effects, and downright torturous strings prying at my ears, I can find solace knowing that the band has created something that no one else could even fathom, and then somehow enjoy the sinister song.
XVI. The Wanting Comes in Waves (Reprise)Beginning to the same rocked out version of its former song in "Hazards of Love 3", this track presents itself as a very nice recovery tune, and alludes to my truly favorite song of the album.
XVII. The Hazards of Love 4 (The Drowned)What can I say to compress such an amazing song as this? It begins with flawless guitar, perfect bass, incredible lyric work, and to a drummer, the perfect tempo for an album finisher. And with each verse, I'm convinced of its perfection, to which I'm only convinced wrong when the next verse comes, beautiful and full of emotion. Chris has an awe-inspiring slide guitar solo in between, aided by strings, giving way for my favorite of all verses:
"Margaret the lapping waves are licking quietly at our ankles / Another bow, another breath, this brilliant chill's come for the shackle / With this long last rush of air we speak our vows in starry whisper / And when the waves came crashing down / he closed his eyes and softly kissed her." And with its end, softly chanting,
"These hazards of love / never more will bother us," I'm almost convinced that I myself will no longer bear the burdens of love.
