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Weekend Music Preview: Woven Bones Tour Kick-Off [Beerland / Friday]
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The Decemberists Hazards of Love (Capitol)
It's vaguely comforting that the antiquated ornamentation that Meloy & Co. have made their trademark isn't hampered by selling out to Capitol. On their most recent release, a failed musical turned epic song-story, the gang finds themselves embroiled in a love tragedy worthy of Sophocles. The story finds the heroine (Margaret) and a shape-shifting love interest (William) and an evil queen. "The Rake's Song" introduces us to the disturbing narrator (all male parts played by Colin Meloy) who became a widower then murdered his offspring. He abducts a pregnant Margaret, swoops her away, and soon enough revenge takes its form in the shape of fallen children. There's rescue wrapped in a tragic wave of sea, questions about ghosts and non-ghosts, curses, hopes and in the end, we're not sure if there's ever freedom from the hazards of love.
Leaning heavily on imagery from Wuthering Heights, Kate Bush's Hounds of Love, almost every Greek tragedy ever written and of course, Andrew Lloyd Weber, The Hazards of Love does live up to the story-telling heights Meloy aimed for. In terms of the music, we find it a bit stunted. There are glorious moments, including Robyn Hitchcock's subtle additional guitars and My Brightest Diamond's Shara Worden's vocals are both wonders to behold. "The Queen's Rebuke/The Crossing" is a powerful and chugging ride, and at least for this listener, a pleasant relief from baroque showmanship. All in all, it seems as though The Hazards of Love will be pleasing to anyone drawn to the dramatic and literary side of the group's catalog, but a bit disappointing to headphones listeners unconcerned with the plot.
1990s: Kicks (vinyl)
Amadou & Mariam: Welcome To Mali
Arthur Russell: The Sleeping Bag Sessions (vinyl)
Bacon Brothers: New Year's Day
The Balky Mule: The Length Of The Rail
Beep Beep: Enchanted Islands
Big Country: The Final Fling (dvd)
Charles Spearin: The Happiness Project (vinyl)
Coheed & Cambria: Neverender: Children of the Fence Edition (4-CD & 5-DVD box set)
Condo F**ks: F**kbook
Craig Wedren: Role Models (soundtrack)
Crosby Stills Nash & Young: CSNY/Deja Vu Live (2-LP vinyl)
Dalek: Gutter Tactics (vinyl)
Dan Deacon: Bromst (vinyl)
Dan Hicks: Tangled Tales (vinyl)
Decemberists: The Hazards of Love (vinyl)
Dirty Projectors: Byond Uquafina
Dukes Of Stratosphear: 25 O'Clock
Dukes Of Stratosphear: Psonic Psunspot (remastered)
Enter the Haggis: Gutter Anthems
Eric Lindell: Gulf Coast Highway
Fever Ray: Fever Ray
Fireworks: All I Have to Offer Is My Own Confusion
Fridge: Early Output 1996-1998
Gramercy Arms: Gramercy Arms
Green Day: 1,039/Smoothed Out Slappy Hours (2-LP reissue)
Green Day: Kerplunk (vinyl)
Harlem Shakes: Technicolor Health
Husker Du: Candy Apple Grey (vinyl reissue)
I.u.d.: The Proper Sex
Indigo Girls: Poseidon and the Bitter Bug (with bonus CD)
Jeremy Jay: Slow Dance (vinyl)
Jim Jones: Pray IV Reign
John Coltrane: Ascension (remastered)
John Coltrane: Kulu Se Mama (remastered)
Klaus Schulze: La Vie Electronique I
KMFDM: Blitz
Lotus Plaza: The Floodlight Collective
The Lymyc Systym: Carved by Glaciers (vinyl)
M. Ward: End of Amnesia (vinyl reissue)
Mastodon: Crack the Skye (CD & DVD)
Mastodon: Divinations (vinyl picture disc single)
Merzbow: 13 Japanese Birds, Vol. 3
MF Doom: Born Like This
Minus 5: Down with Wilco (reissue)
Mono: Hymn to the Immortal Wind
MSTRKRFT: Fist of God (vinyl)
O+S: O+S (vinyl)
Obits: I Blame You (vinyl)
Papa Roach: Metamorphosis
Pearl Jam: Ten (2-CD & DVD Deluxe Edition) (2-CD edition) (2-LP edition) (2-CD & DVD & 4=LP & cassette edition)
The Peekers: Life In The Air
Peter Doherty: Grace / Wastelands (CD & DVD) (CD & DVD & T-shirt)
Ponytail: Ice Cream Spiritual! (green vinyl)
Radiohead: The Bends (remastered with bonus CD) (2-CDs & DVD)
Radiohead: OK Computer (remastered with bonus CD) (2-CDs & DVD)
Radiohead: Pablo Honey (remastered with bonus CD) (2-CDs & DVD)
Rafter: 10 Songs
Red Red Meat: Bunny Gets Paid (remastered with bonus disc)
Royksopp: Junior (vinyl)
Sarah Borges: The Stars Are Out (vinyl)
Serge Gainsbourg: Histoire de Melody Nelson (remastered with bonus tracks) (vinyl)
Shooter Jennings: Bad Magick: The Best of Shooter Jennings & 357's
Stephen Lynch: 3 Balloons
Swan Lake: Enemy Mine (vinyl)
Various Artists: Classic Protest Songs from Smithsonian Folkways
Various Artists: Hushabye Baby: Lullaby Renditions of Dolly Parton
Various Artists: Keep Your Soul: A Tribute To Doug Sahm
Various Artists: Putumayo Presents: Salsa
Various Artists: Shrek: The Musical
The Vines: Melodia
Warren Zevon: Excitable Boy (vinyl reissue)
Winter Gloves: About a Girl
Wynton Marsalis: He And She
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