Jumping the indie ship for a major label can either make or break a band nowadays. Groups such as Death Cab For Cutie, The Shins, and Rilo Kiley all ran the risk of losing their indie sensibility and poise when they signed on with the bigwigs of the industry. Fortunately, while the dollar signs got bigger, the offerings never faltered (except for Rilo’s last release). Portland, Oregon’s The Decemberists also followed in the same footsteps with 2006’s The Crane Wife, and now return with their second major-label release, the rock-opera concept album The Hazards of Love.

The album tells the tale of Margaret, and the foray into misadventure that eventually leads to her death. Songwriter Colin Meloy serves up a variety of styles ranging from the lowly and swaying ballads his band have always been known for to the previously undiscovered territory of bang-your-head rock riffs. They are joined by the alluring and commanding voices of Lavender Diamond’s Becky Stark (Margaret) and My Brightest Diamond’s Shara Worden (the Forest Queen). The narrative is difficult to follow at times unless you have the lyric sheet right in front of you; yet, for the most part, the music of the 17-song opus is rightfully presented with little or no convention. Highlights include the tender and sweet “Isn’t It a Loving Night” and the account of the villain of the story’s child-murdering ways in “The Rake Song.”

Major label status has served The Decemberists well so far. They have rightfully gained more than they have lost. However, with such a bookish album like Hazards, one cannot deny that they are aiming a bit too high. Being on a bigger label means reaching a bigger audience; but what about the loyal fans who miss the days of the simplistic Castaways & Cutouts or the considerably more mild literary musings of Picaresque? Do we get more overdone theatric ambiance a la Hazards next time around? Or can we rest a little easier with something similar to their Always a Bridesmaid series? - Nick Truden