The Decemberists "The Hazards of Love"

"Prelude" starts with some silence and then this organ and strings that sound not like a storm is coming, but then we hear Colin Meloy's voice and this beautiful strumming with piano as he sings of the "Hazards of Love(The Prettiest Whistles Won't Wrestle the Thistles)." Once two and a half minutes pass it starts to pick up with that stand-up bass?"A Bower Scene" is downright metallic indie rock with that loud banging riff in the beginning and end. This then only leads to the funky bass and repeated notes that work so well with that beat that "Won't Wait For Love (Marget in Taiga)," and who can forget the beautiful voice of Becky Stark? The banjo with strings in back sound so ominous, but the hand drum and the voice of Meloy is so beautiful in "Hazards of Love II (Wager All)" that makes short "The Queen's Approach" is using louder drums,some background guitar, slight distortion, then turning up the guitar amp after two and a half.Some magic fairy dust just spray on us right before the song is finished abruptly, and HEY, where did the time go? "Isn't it a Lovely Night?" has really nice vocals from Meloy and Becky Stark(of Lavender Diamond) in a nice acoustic song with some accordion, light background twang, and something that has Frank Sinatra agree that it surely is. The "Wanting Comes in Waves/Repaid" starts real nice with piano or hammond and is soaring as he looks at the skies and they answer around 1:45 with this awesome and insanely catchy riff that gets the song really moving as Shara Wardon( of My Brightest Diamond) then lays on the funk with his vocals, and at 3:56 it slows again and goes back to those beautiful haunting harmonies as Meloy joins back in with those pounding drums,bass, and that soaring sound, and when it goes back to that bad-a-- riff  where we hear the resonating wail of Wardon. "An Interlude" is an acoustic guitarled instrumental cameoed by Robyn Hitchcock. "A Rake's Song" has a gang chorus,those huge drums, and Meloy delivering the sinister lyrics spat from the character that is The Rake; let's say that the beat is multifaceted,but the bass just whirrs and takes control. It sounds as if it "The Abduction of Margaret" is letting us know something is about to happen with that driving hihat in back and that bass underneath the guitar with the distiortion waves opening "THe Queen's Rebuke/The Crossing" with vocals from Wardon and that screaming, vibrating riff that is slightly metallic ; a minute before the song ends we have hammond and guitar on call, really cool. This song just rocks!!! "Annan Water" has a sailing acoustic strumming, banjo, and strings gliding on the wateruntil it sops at 2:38 with a short break as Meloy sacrifices his bones before the waves return with some flasmenco style strumming, and some bass notes olong that sailing rythym. "Margaret in Captivity" has our damsel crying for help, but the heavens only play their sad strings. Then all the sudden Hammond and drums return with a quick pace, as well as a children's choir backed by piano and some melodica? that has this nice groove and sfx in "The Hazards of Love 3 (Revenge)." "THe Wanting Comes In Waves" has that same speed the previous track had with hammond, but then rids it and borrows those lovely harnmonies in the original with strings and keeps the beat only to be endedwith noise after he proclaims "I want This Night..." The Hazards of Love (The Drowned)" has some twang to it and some lovely harmonies. This album is one that should be listened to as a whole as it is another concept album. I know, what do I know? It is real cool though "They're old stuff is better than this" it's ok to have your own opinions, i'm just suggesting it.But if you want to check out some single songs check out A Bower Scene, Won't Wait For Love (Margaret in the Taiga),The Wanting Comes in Waves/Repaid, Annan Water, The Queen's Rebuke/The Crossing, The Hazards of Love 3 (Revenge!), and The Wanting Comes in Waves(Reprise).