Hazards of Love, the Decemberists' follow-up to 2006's major label debut The Crane Wife, is set for release on March 24. The album, alternately described as a rock opera, a fake musical and a concept album, is made up of 17 tracks linked together into what Rolling Stone describes as, "a continuous, hour-long narrative suite that riffs on folk-song archetypes."

Hazards of Love was initially intended as a real musical, to be staged by director Michael Mayer (Spring Awakening). But frontman Colin Meloy's story of Margaret, her lover William, a lecherous rake and a scary forest queen turned out "practically unstageable," Meloy explains. He continues, "There’s a story there, but it’s really painted with broad strokes."

In keeping with the musical theme, the album features Becky Stark of Lavender Diamond and Shara Worden of My Brightest Diamond singing the parts of specific characters. Meloy elaborates, "I wanted to have different voices singing different songs, so it would be like a fake musical." Other vocal guests include Jim James of My Morning Jacket, Rebecca Gates of the Spinanes, and Robyn Hitchcock.  

Although the band had initially planned to tour the album, performing it straight through at each show, no tour details have been announced yet. [Billboard]

Track list:

01. Prelude
02. Hazards of Love 1 (The Prettiest Whistles Won't Wrestle the Thistles Undone)
03. A Bower Scene
04. Won't Want for Love (Margaret in the Taiga)
05. Hazards of Love 2 (Wager All)
06. The Queen's Approach
07. Isn't It a Lovely Night?
08. The Wanting Comes in Waves / Repaid
09. An Interlude
10. The Rake's Song
11. The Abduction of Margaret
12. The Queen's Rebuke / The Crossing
13. Annan Water
14. Margaret in Captivity
15. Hazards of Love 3 (Revenge!)
16. The Wanting Comes in Waves (Reprise)
17. The Hazards of Love 4 (The Drowned)