Rolling Stone (p.86) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "True to form, THE HAZARDS OF LOVE brings the glorious excess: There's strummy British folk rock and heavy-metal thunder, orchestral strings and a children's choir." Spin (p.75) - "Meloy can write the hell out of melody, and he's got a flair for making what might seem heady and ridiculous on paper into something that sounds relatable and touching." Uncut - 4 stars out of 5 -- "[I]t's a 17-track suite of striking musical and verbal intricacy that unfolds over the course of nearly an hour." Alternative Press (p.120) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "For the band's fifth studio album, THE HAZARDS OF LOVE, Colin Meloy & Co. have assembled a 21st-century concept album with roots in 16th-century imagery and '70s stoner rock." Down Beat (p.58) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "This is rock at its artsy best that takes the concept album an impressive step further by mixing in a diversity of styles, from folk rock to gripping prog rock and heavy metal..." Q (Magazine) (p.104) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "THE HAZARDS OF LOVE is that most archaic of things -- the fully formed album, and a concept album at that....Its musical palette is a vivid and evocative one, shaded by accordion, harpsichord and pedal steel." Clash (Magazine) (p.110) - "The Decembrists show off their impressive array of talents both vocally and instrumentally, with the band constantly switching from haunting acoustic folk to powerful blues and metal riffs."

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