Decemberists Know The Hazards Of Love

The Decemberists released the third volume of their "Always The Bridesmaid" singles series, featuring "A Record Year For Rainfall" and "Raincoat Song," on Tuesday. Now we can tell you more details about the group's new album, Hazards Of Love.

The Decemberists' fifth LP was produced by Tucker Martine (Mudhoney, Sufjan Stevens), who also oversaw 2006's The Crane Wife. It will be issued by Capitol Records on March 24, earlier than the previously expected April release date.

Frontman Colin Meloy came up with many of the ideas for the album while he was in southern France for a month in the spring with his wife and son. Things came together more fully after he returned to The Decemberists' hometown of Portland, Ore. to record with his bandmates. Lavender Diamond's Becky Stark and My Brightest Diamond's Shara Worden contributed vocals.

"I wanted to have different voices singing different songs, so it would be like a fake musical," Meloy told Rollingstone.com about the narrative-based album.

"There's a story there, but it’s really painted with broad strokes."

Meloy has been in talks about a more traditional musical with director Michael Mayer and actor/producer Tom Hulce, who worked on the Tony Award-winning rock musical Spring Awakening. If you know what role Hulce received a best actor Academy Award nomination for, you may share my hope that the new project is based on the life of the late Austrian pop star, Falco.

Here are the songs on Hazards Of Love:

"Prelude"
"Hazards Of Love 1 (The Prettiest Whistles Won't Wrestle The Thistles Undone)"
"A Bower Scene"
"Won’t Want For Love (Margaret In The Taiga)"
"Hazards Of Love 2 (Wager All)"
"The Queen’s Approach"
"Isn’t It A Lovely Night?"
"The Wanting Comes In Waves/Repaid"
"An Interlude"
"The Rake’s Song"
"The Abduction Of Margaret"
"The Queen’s Rebuke/The Crossing"
"Annan Water"
"Margaret In Captivity"
"Hazards Of Love 3 (Revenge!)"
"The Wanting Comes In Waves (Reprise)"
"Hazards Of Love 4 (The Drowned)"