This is a fan interpretation of the Hazards of Love story line. It is in no way connected to any interpretation from a member of The Decemberists. The Hazards of Love 1 (The Prettiest Whistles Won’t Wrestle the Thistles Undone) This song sets up the entire story. We learn right away that a young lady – who we will later love as our heroine Margaret – goes horseriding out past the fields, far from home. She crosses into the forest, as she often does, and comes upon a young deer at the edge of the forest, injured and limping, but Read more on Last.fm.
As someone who was completely indifferent to The Decemberists prior to ‘Hazards of Love’, I had my mind blown by this record. Characters are represented by specific melodies; various voices tell an intricate story of vulnerability. Monster riffs, moving choruses, and (for lack of a better term) generally shocking song structure make every second of music here utterly enjoyable.