22. The Hazards of Love

The Decemberists have long been one of my most beloved bands. Their music is always terrific, layers upon layers of integrated sound that parallel the subjects and moods of their songs. The lyrics are even more impressive, courtesy of Colin Meloy's ultra-literary vernacular and remarkable storytelling abilities. Together, each song is a mini-masterpiece of folk rock - some whimsical, some campy, some sweet, some tragic. Each album is a random collection of individual 'short stories' in song form that take the listener to various times and places. That was, until now.

The Hazards of Love is The Decemberists' latest effort, a self-proclaimed 'folk-rock opera'. An 18-song, hour-long wonderfully woven tale, told as much by the music as the words themselves. I can't hype this album enough - it is one of the most inspired (and inspiring) works I've ever heard. They performed it in its entirety at the 2009 South by Southwest music festival as its grand debut, and it absolutely blew the crowd away.

If you're a fan of The Decemberists, I'm sure you'll agree this is their Magnum Opus (to date, anyway). If you're unfamiliar and enjoy folk rock, compelling stories, or both, I implore you to check them out.