I’m gonna put these guys at a B+ for now, but I could see them getting to an A-. That said, I could also see them sticking at a B+, or even going down to a B, so I guess we’ll see how it goes.
I liked each album substantially more than the last. First album kinda had a neat vibe but I didn’t love it. Second album built on the same vibe and I think did it a little better than the first, but still nothing I loved. Their third (and last) album, Putting the Days To Bed, I thought was pretty great. It feels to me like what they were trying to do the whole time, like the good execution of the same types of ideas, the same type of sound, they’d been going for all along. I feel like it’s the same as the other two albums, but really great instead of just kinda cool. I really really liked it, I’ll definitely be coming back to listen more to it in the future.
The Long Winters was a little funny because they do have a real specific kind of sound. They had me playing the “who does this sound like?” game constantly. At first I thought it reminded me a lot of 95: Counting Crows (B→B-→D), then I thought it reminded me a lot of 137: Wilco (B), then for a minute I thought it sounded like 273: Kevin McCune (B-). I don’t think either of those are quite right, but that general idea isn’t far off. It’s that general… I dunno, what do you call that. It’s a specific flavor of alt rock, a flavor of underground/alt/indie. I think really what it feels like is this rough-around-the-edges feeling. Which, grunge? Garage rock? It’s not really any of those. It’s alt/indie rock, with some of that rough-around-the-edges feeling. A little remarkably, I feel like Putting the Days To Bed holds onto that feeling while also feeling polished, which is a big win.
Also—I was a little bummed while listening because I initially added this band to my list because the band is mostly John Roderick, who is featured in the 11: Jonathan Coulton (B) song, “Nemeses,” which is one of my all time favorite songs. I love the song, and I love Roderick’s voice in it. I wasn’t expecting the songwriting to necessarily be terribly similar, because Nemeses is Coulton’s song, but I was expecting Roderick’s vocals to sound similar. They don’t, to me, not really at all. Like, I can tell it’s the same guy because I’m listening for it, but Roderick in The Long Winters doesn’t have whatever quality is in his vocals in Nemeses that I just adore. So, that’s a slight bummer, but what can you do. Ah well.
Anyway! I think the B+ will fit pretty well for now, I’m not too worried about it. I kinda like the vibe, I didn’t love the first two albums, I really liked the third album, and I think overall that’s a solid B+ to start.
The Long Winters complete, now listening to: Yam Haus
tunafruitsandwitch 