Finally got around to listening to Hazards of Love, and...(!)
Yeah, meh. Whatever. I'll give Meloy credit for following his muse into a ditch, because at least he went somewhere in the interim, but Hazards is not a great record. I don't claim to have a PhD in Decemberhistory, but I can't help but think this is not one of their better efforts.
First off, the concept doesn't lend itself to being played perfectly straight, as it is here. No concept that jumps around this fucking much in under an hour should dominate every facet of an album's lyrical content, right down to the laughable olde English. The only thing resembling a break from knaves and demons and forest queens and shit comes with Hazards of Love 2, and possibly Hazards of Love 4 which are, perhaps not-so-coincidentally, the best tracks here. While technically sound, I can't help but find the entire idea of the album suffocating and highly lame.
Musically, the album fares much better, but still falls short of previous works. Again, it's technically sound, and treads upon heavier new territory (to mixed success; that Black Sabbath-aping riff that's played every 30 seconds is not only out of character, but simply not very memorable or even impressive from a technical standpoint), but there aren't enough memorable, ear-catching melodies to keep me engaged for nearly an hour. And even though this is a very impressive, ambitious record when taken as a whole, there isn't a Pinball Wizard or Comfortably Numb that transcends the storyline and makes you want to return to the album time and time again.
Realistically, the album is about a 7/10, as it sounds really good while it's playing, and it's certainly a feat to be marveled at, but why do I need this album when The Crane Wife does the progressive-folk thing more tastefully and has better tunes? Anyway, guess I'll have to be in the minority on this one. I think it's a major disappointment.
