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The Hazards of Love

I’ve only recently discovered the Decemberists, shame on me.  I picked up The Hazards of Love last week while out with friends.  The album can be best described as a concept album telling a story of young woman, Margaret who fell in love with shape shifting beast, William.

As I’ve read other review most if not all have the same theory:  you must list to this album beginning to end …  I whole heartedly agree, this album is amazing.  They dabble in harder rock sounds while staying true to their folk roots, the guest female vocals of Becky Stark and Shara Worden are simply lovely.  Do yourself a favor and buy this album!

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Track Listing – The Hazards of Love

1. “Prelude” – 3:04
2. “The Hazards of Love 1 (The Prettiest Whistles Won’t Wrestle the Thistles Undone)” – 4:19
3. “A Bower Scene” – 2:09
4. “Won’t Want for Love (Margaret in the Taiga)” – 4:07
5. “The Hazards of Love 2 (Wager All)” – 4:26
6. “The Queen’s Approach” – 0:29
7. “Isn’t It a Lovely Night?” – 3:39
8. “The Wanting Comes in Waves/Repaid” – 6:27
9. “An Interlude” – 1:40
10. “The Rake’s Song” – 3:16
11. “The Abduction of Margaret” – 2:07
12. “The Queen’s Rebuke/The Crossing” – 3:56
13. “Annan Water” – 5:12
14. “Margaret in Captivity” – 3:08
15. “The Hazards of Love 3 (Revenge!)” – 3:22
16. “The Wanting Comes in Waves (Reprise)” – 1:31
17. “The Hazards of Love 4 (The Drowned)” – 5:57

Big Whiskey and the Groogrux King

I’ve been a long time Dave Matthews Band listener; I’m a bit biased when it comes to their music.  I’ve seen many many live shows and I’ve been around other fans so I know the kind of passion they hold for the music.  As a whole as the band has gained commercial success with albums such as Everyday and Stand Up some of the fan base has been disappointed as those album never seemed to live up to the big three: Under the Table and Dreaming, Crash, and Before These Crowded Streets. With the death of the founding member and saxophonist Leroi Moore, the band was shaken to its core and knew that the forth coming album was important to the band and the fans.  They delivered to us Big Whiskey and the Groogrux King, Groogrux being Moore’s nickname in the band, the first album since Before These Crowded Streets that features Tim Reynolds on guitar.

The albums opens with Grux a Moore solo track that makes you realize what this album is about … him.  The song trails into Shake Me Like A Monkey a funky love long with some funky lyrics, what DMB album would be complete without that?  Funny The Way It Is the album’s first single starts with some light guitar work and lyrics filled irony intending to make you think about several different topics.  Lying in the Hands of God is slower song laced with Moore’s saxophone work that is one of the most evident tributes to Moore on the album.  Why I Am reported to be the album’s second album is a one of the other songs about Moore and also gives us the albums title: “Still here dancin with the GrooGrux King.  We’ll be drinkin Big Whiskey while we dance and sing and when my story ends it’s gonna end with him.  Heaven or Hell I’m goin there with the GrooGrux King.” Probably one of the most fun songs on the album Alligator Pie gives us an upbeat tune to get down to.  Matthews has two daughters named Grace and Stella.  If you’re a fan you know the name Grace is mentioned in several songs.  He features Stella in this one, with Stella asking “Daddy when are you going to put me in a song?” One of my personal favorites from the album is Time Bomb, which Matthews states the he’s a ticking time bomb that nobody saw coming until he blew his top.  The song builds in a way that makes you think of a bomb, slow and steady while continually gaining pressure until it explodes exclaiming: “Baby when I get home, Help me pick up the pieces. You can hammer in the final nail, I wanna believe in Jesus.”

The album feels more true to their original sound and spirit; they’ve gathering themselves off the ground after Moore’s death and shook off the dirt.  This album may not satisfy those fans who are more into a pop sound than a DMB sound, but I think fans will start referring to the Big Three as the Big Four, at least they should.

This album is the one we’ve been waiting a decade for.

- 4.5 out of 5 Stars

Track Listing:

1. Grux
2. Shake Me Like A Monkey
3. Funny The Way It Is
4. Lying In The Hands of God
5. Why I Am
6. Dive In
7. Spaceman
8. Squirm
9. Alligator Pie
10. Seven
11. Time Bomb
12. Baby Blue
13. You And Me

Doves - Kingdom of Rust

The Indie trio Dove who consist of Jez Williams, Andy Williams, and Jimi Goodwin released their fourth studio album Kingdom of Rust; I was late getting the album as I had a hard time finding it at local music stores.  The album marks the first studio album in four years. I was eager to listen to this album as I was disappointed in their last effort Some Cities. Their first two efforts were wonderful and this album was a return to the quality of the first albums.

The album starts with the track Jetstream which builds like a slow to fast moving locomotive with an ever so small sound that builds and builds until it’s chugging down the tracks.  The title track Kingdom of Rust has a haunting sad feel, which I can best describe as a lonesome road song.  Birds Flew Backward is about the cold lingering winter waiting for summer to come.  Compulsion is a gritty bass line of a song, one line that stuck out at me was: “Dark spell I crave you, I wanna live but you just won’t let me go”

Kingdom of Rust satisfied my need for a good Doves album, it marks their return the scene and a return to great music. May the coming years provide many more Doves music to enjoy!

-4 out of 5 stars

Kindgom of Rust – Track list:

1. Jetstream
2. Kingdom Of Rust
3. The Outsiders
4. Winter Hill
5. 10.03
6. The Greatest Denier
7. Birds Flew Backwards
8. Spellbound
9. Compulsion
10. House Of Mirrors
11. Lifelines