The Daily Spin, January 7
The Decemberists | Hazards of Love
Welcome back to the Daily Spin, the series in which I review 365 albums during 2023. Today is day 7 - we’re one week in!
Each album will be given a rating on a scale from 0 to 10. You can look at the entire set here.
If you want to suggest an album, good news! You can do so right here!
Album: Hazards of Love (2009)
Artist: The Decemberists
Link:
I don’t know exactly what to call this sort of album - where it almost seems destined for the stage, but not quite what I think of when considering the term “rock opera”. It’s something the Decemberists shine in doing, though I’m unsure that I’d consider this example their finest.
In the good moments, Hazards of Love glows as a narrative-heavy prog-rock folky story, with characters William and Margaret’s tale of romance told throughout the album in a pleasing manner - despite some wobbly plot holes, if this were a live telling, I’d be having a blast.
Unfortunately, too frequently, the songs are muddled in instrumentation, unable to claw free of hefty sonic ballast to show off lyricism that frankly deserves better. A lack of repeatable choruses and memorable hooks makes it so the album is best enjoyed in the moment and quickly forgotten - a shame, really, for an album that’s put together in a manner where recalling it might be quite nice.
The album feels weighty, gaudy without reason, unnecessarily drawn - and though it has its bright spots, it’s found plenty of hazards of its own.
Rating: 4.9/10
Best Tracks: The Wanting Comes In Waves/Repaid, A Bower Scene
Worst Tracks: The Hazards Of Love 3; Isn’t It A Lovely Night?