'the hazards of love' is a refreshingly substantial listen in a culture plagued by throwaway blog hits. it is set to become an anomaly in an age where the album is supposedly dead! the album plots an extravagant tale rooted in ancient language and imagery of a woman ravaged by her lover who is able to change his form between animal and man. the result is musically and lyrically rich with elaborate orchestrations that explode like baroque fireworks. the decemberists are joined on this record by lavender diamond's becky stark and my brightest diamond's shara worden and there are cameos from jim james of my morning jacket, robyn hitchcock and the spinanes' rebecca gates.