THE KING IS DEAD

The funny thing is that I started listening The Decemberists shortly before The Hazards of Love was out. So I followed the learning curve of increasingly "getting better" albums, where by better I mean complexity. THoL culminated these tendencies and I foolishly expected even better album with this, foolblindly avoiding all counter-signs (that this album will be simpler).

Once you get accustomed to its countrier and simpler sound, it's not bad album at all. Emotionally, I would rate it as high as 4 stars, but from Prog point of view, it's obviously worse.

3(-), to be honest, I like it. It's one of these weird moments, where I rate something I like with low rating, because it's the way I feel it should be. At least here on PA. So I like it, my girlfriend even love it and I'm sure that many.

There are glimpses of better times though, hence this rating.