The Hazards of Love is less an album, more a statement of the heart. From the church-hall organ ‘Prelude’ to the final track, the hazards of love are omnipresent throughout and serve as a caution to all those who wear their hearts on their paisley-shirt sleeves.

Named after 1960s British folk singer Anne Brigg’s 1966 EP, this album is a modern retelling of the tale told by Brigg – the story of Margaret, her lover, his seemingly wood Elvin mum and a cruel immoral rake.

Once the summery sound of ‘The Hazards of Love 1’ takes root it’s plain for all to see that this is a distorted-folksy jaunt through a love story of Shakespearian proportions. ‘A Bower Scene’ sees lead singer Colin Meloy take the role of narrator teasing the listener with a subtle rock riff before a tsunami of power chords washes over us and we find ourselves marooned in the next track, ‘Won’t Want For Love’. This is Margaret’s story, sung with a piercing delicacy only an ill-fated lover could muster.

Continuing the medley, seamlessly bridged, the album takes a turn down familiar Decemberist territory with Meloy’s feminine yet coarse vocals reiterating the hazards of love with cascading guitar. This track will be plucked from iPod obscurity by many a jilted lover walking home in the wet weather hoping the rain disguises their tears. Equally, ‘Isn’t It A Lovely Night’ will have those with silver bands on their left hands planning a sunshine stroll down the Champs Elysée buoyed up by the accordion floating around in the background.

‘The Interlude’ adds a brief welcome break from the storytelling before it’s straight back in with the fist-pounding-on-door sound of ‘A Rake’s Song’. This murderous rant is poles apart from the earlier love ballads but ups the tempo and jettisons the listener into the most dramatic part of the story, ‘The Abduction of Margaret’ and ‘The Queen’s Rebuke’. Both dashed with mystical language, radio-static solos and climaxing with an organ breakout Ray Manzarek would be proud of.

With a supporting cast of female singers including Lavender Diamond’s Becky Stark and an appearance of My Morning Jacket’s Jim James, this epic love story feels more like a musical than a rock album. However, due to the high production quality, beautiful lyrics and the numerous curve balls of banjo and a children’s choir where banjo and a children’s choir have no right to be, The Decemberists have produced another album that breaks the musical mould. And by the time the record player clicks off you won’t just be aware of the hazards of love; you’ll have experienced them for yourself. (Gareth May)