The Decemberists still complicated

With some effort, Hazards of Love can be a great listen.

By Patrick Daugherty

Published April 9, 2009

It's never been a secret that The Decemberists think highly of themselves. From their history-nicking name to their labyrinth concepts, they've always been willfully -- sometimes painfully -- obscure and elite.

That's not even taking into account all the characters, interludes and 10-minute songs they've always found necessary to throw their audience's way. None of that has changed with the release of their latest, The Hazards of Love. There is still a contrived, impossible-to-follow story, and all the reprises and interweaving songs one's heart could desire.

Really, at first glance, it's their most unapproachable record yet. There are 17 songs, four variations of the title track, guest singers playing characters and an infanticidal maniac. Just staring at the track list is a heady chore.

But it's all brushed aside once the beginning notes of de-facto opener "The Hazards of Love 1" hits. Sounding like an outtake from the all-acoustic Led Zeppelin III, it is clear that this is not the same Decemberists album we've heard four times before.

While never exclusively influenced by folk, twee and baroque pop, these have always been The Decemberists' most obvious touchstones. Now, though, they've thrown in the Zeppelin, Jethro Tull and maybe even a little Foghat. It makes for some utterly ridiculous nonsense at times, but more often than not creates a fascinating album, while at the same time moving The Decemberists necessarily forward from the genres they have worn out. Of course, there is still folk, twee and baroque pop aplenty, it just takes a backseat to all the shredding and banjos.

What works? "The Hazards of Love 2" is as beautiful as any Decemberists song yet. With paced, layered singing from Colin Meloy, and a truly impressive spectrum of instruments, it does a lot with a lot and justifies the nearly three years they took to record it.

"The Rake's Song" is the most true to The Decemberists' sound on Hazards of Love. Sounding like a more countrified, sinister "O Valencia!" it makes the act of killing a child seem almost gleeful as Meloy shouts "Isaiah fought but was easily bested/Burned his body for incurring my wrath/All right!" It's a sick joke, but one that easily fits in the realm of Hazards of Love's universe and one Meloy delivers with a prominent wink.

The aforementioned first take on the title track, meanwhile, would be at home on any deep cuts FM station (if they still existed), with its power acoustic guitar and hazy atmospherics.

In the end, that's what The Hazards of Love is -- deep cuts. There is little in the way of obvious singles, or even pleasantly repeatable choruses. The spectacle is the point, and taken as a whole it is a staggering and impressive, if not exhausting, album.

Things could definitely stand to be toned down for whatever comes next, but as a one-off statement and definitive mid-career change of direction, The Hazards of Love is a damn fine album, and one worthy of the hours you'll have to put in it to reap its rewards.