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Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
On their third long player, Seattle's Long Winters are as literate as ever, but there's added power to their pop. In other words: more Nada Surf, less Death Cab for Cutie. Now a quartet after previous incarnations as a trio and two-keyboard player quintet (drummer Nabil Ayers and multi-instrumentalist Jonathan Rothman are the new additions), John Roderick still sings as if he's sitting across from you. It starts with frequent use of the second person and ends with a tone as conversational and familiar as that an old friend. As he observes in "Honest," "Everything is different when he's singing right to you" (before warning, "But don't you love a singer whatever you do"). To quote Nick Lowe, Putting the Days to Bed is "pure pop for now people," or maybe the Talking Heads come closer with "more songs about buildings and food." On The Worst You Can Do Is Harm, Roderick sang about "Unsalted Butter" and "Scent of Lime," on When I Pretend to Fall, it was "Cinnamon." Now the musical gourmand has moved on to cream ("Clouds") and wine ("Rich Wife"). (Roderick is starting to rival Cibo Matto in the epicurean songwriter sweepstakes.) On their most polished platter yet, the Long Winters are joined by several Northwest notables, including Kurt Bloch (the Fastbacks) and Chris Walla (Death Cab for Cutie) on guitar, and one-time member Sean Nelson (Harvey Danger) on harmony vocals. --Kathleen C. Fennessy
Product Description
The third LP from Seattle's Long Winters combines the lyrical intimacy and melodic complexity of the "Ultimatum" EP with the guitar pop rave-ups of the band's previous full-lengths. The two sides of songwriter John Roderick come together to create the most compelling Long Winters release to date. This is a big, very rock record, but underneath the guitars you'll find the bones of mellow folk, psych, and orchestral pop.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
11 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Dysfunction in self breeds great art.
Dysfunction in relationships breeds great pop songs.
Three years ago I was drawn to The Long Winters release When I Pretend To Fall by a quirky pop song called Cinnamon. Once I listened to it a couple of times I figured out that Cinnamon wasn't even close to the best song on the disc. Several other songs stood out but it was the track Stupid that sealed my being a John Roderick fan for a very long time. There are several layers to making a good pop song. A catchy melody, great lyrics, and raw emotion are the three that stand out to me. Rarely do all three meet at the same time, but on the aptly named track Stupid, they certainly do. Roderick, despite the fact that his voice is irritatingly whiny to some, manages to churn out a cement mixer full of emotion on many of his songs and when his opening line on Stupid is, She has no idea she can make me do anything, you know you are in for a long ride on an unhealthy personal journey.
Skip ahead to Putting The Days To Bed and the same formula has worked on me again. I was drawn in by the quirky Fire Island AK, found out that it wasn't even close to the best song on the disc, and was absolutely moved to chills on the track Hindsight, a song I believe to be the singer's response to 2003's Stupid. It appears that John has recognized that a true relationship will never come to pass and he has to let it go. However, his only way of doing so is convince himself that she'll one day be sorry she let him slip through her fingers. With lines like: But I'm bailing water and bailing water 'Cause I like the shape of the boat, and If you're my anchor then I'm throwing you over the side Before I have the time to say I never wanted anyone this way it's clear that the pain of moving on may be too much for him to bear. The entire lyrics to Hindsight could not be more perfectly written and the way Roderick's voice is able to grind it through the emotional mill leaves me absolutely speechless.
The disc starts out strong, stumbles through the middle, and manages to find it's footing for the remaining three or four songs. The two songs after Hindsight, to me, are the low points of the CD, but that's probably because you're left on such a gut-wrenching precipice it takes two more songs to get you back. I find it odd that the title to 2003's release can be found buried in the lyrics of Stupid and the title to 2005's release can be found buried in the lyrics of Hindsight. I'm guessing that few people notice that. Whereas 2003's release had a smattering of bad relationship songs, it's central to every song on Putting The Days To Bed. For those of you that can't stomach the pain, this may not be for you. For those of you that realize that pain and suffering equals exquisite music, enjoy John Roderick's pain.
Dysfunction in relationships breeds great pop songs.
Three years ago I was drawn to The Long Winters release When I Pretend To Fall by a quirky pop song called Cinnamon. Once I listened to it a couple of times I figured out that Cinnamon wasn't even close to the best song on the disc. Several other songs stood out but it was the track Stupid that sealed my being a John Roderick fan for a very long time. There are several layers to making a good pop song. A catchy melody, great lyrics, and raw emotion are the three that stand out to me. Rarely do all three meet at the same time, but on the aptly named track Stupid, they certainly do. Roderick, despite the fact that his voice is irritatingly whiny to some, manages to churn out a cement mixer full of emotion on many of his songs and when his opening line on Stupid is, She has no idea she can make me do anything, you know you are in for a long ride on an unhealthy personal journey.
Skip ahead to Putting The Days To Bed and the same formula has worked on me again. I was drawn in by the quirky Fire Island AK, found out that it wasn't even close to the best song on the disc, and was absolutely moved to chills on the track Hindsight, a song I believe to be the singer's response to 2003's Stupid. It appears that John has recognized that a true relationship will never come to pass and he has to let it go. However, his only way of doing so is convince himself that she'll one day be sorry she let him slip through her fingers. With lines like: But I'm bailing water and bailing water 'Cause I like the shape of the boat, and If you're my anchor then I'm throwing you over the side Before I have the time to say I never wanted anyone this way it's clear that the pain of moving on may be too much for him to bear. The entire lyrics to Hindsight could not be more perfectly written and the way Roderick's voice is able to grind it through the emotional mill leaves me absolutely speechless.
The disc starts out strong, stumbles through the middle, and manages to find it's footing for the remaining three or four songs. The two songs after Hindsight, to me, are the low points of the CD, but that's probably because you're left on such a gut-wrenching precipice it takes two more songs to get you back. I find it odd that the title to 2003's release can be found buried in the lyrics of Stupid and the title to 2005's release can be found buried in the lyrics of Hindsight. I'm guessing that few people notice that. Whereas 2003's release had a smattering of bad relationship songs, it's central to every song on Putting The Days To Bed. For those of you that can't stomach the pain, this may not be for you. For those of you that realize that pain and suffering equals exquisite music, enjoy John Roderick's pain.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
This absolutely floored me with its catchiness. Great lyrics like "Now I'm smoking cigarettes when no one else does" and "You never told me your secrets, so I guess they're still safe with me" provide new novelties to enjoy after the initial catchiness of the music wears off. That's gonna take a while, because this is one of the catchiest cds I've heard all year. "I like the old days, but not all the old days, only the good old days." Great cd.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
By More M
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
I think this one is at the top of my list for 2006. Really great pop music, with maybe a bit more power than their first 3 discs. The lyrics are a bit more abstract, in a good way. The harmonies are fantastic...this disc reminds me a lot of Zumpano, or Joe, Marc's Brother with the harmonies. The songs are just terrifically written and fleshed out. The production is 1st rate, and if you crave power pop of a higher order than most of the current indie pop/rock out there, don't pass this one up! Ear candy of the highest order!!! You will be singing along with those high-note leads and harmonies!!!
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
My Brother, My Brother, and Me
I bought this album because of the Podcast My Brother, My Brother, and Me on the Maximum Fun podcast network. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Cole Brodine
5.0 out of 5 stars
Don't hesitate, just buy it
I listen to a lot of music, in a lot of different genres, but this is easily the best album I have bought in years! Read more
Published on September 3, 2007 by Mary J. Lohnes
2.0 out of 5 stars
Got bored with it pretty fast.
I put this one to bed after just a few weeks. Sorry to say (because I hate those boneheads who say, "This sucks. Read more
Published on January 3, 2007 by The Harem Guard
5.0 out of 5 stars
Best "pop" record of the year
Don't buy all that "it's a death cab rip off" garbage. This is the best odd pop record of the year. Wildly imaginative and thouroughly original. Read more
Published on October 6, 2006 by D. R Smyers
3.0 out of 5 stars
Somebody call a Death Cab
Indie pop minstrel John Roderick is back at it with the Long Winters on this their 4th album in as many years. Read more
Published on August 21, 2006 by KB
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of 2006's best
"Putting the Days to Bed" is like the sun: it shines and burns in equal measure and it's necessary to sustain life. Read more
Published on August 2, 2006 by Litsa D.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Lovers of the indie-rock nod be forewarned, your ways and practices...
Let's just get this out of the way: you can't fade on John Roderick. (In turn, you cannot fade on the Long Winters.) His songwriting is impeccable. Read more
Published on August 1, 2006 by heather
4.0 out of 5 stars
If it ain't broke, tweak it
If it ain't broke, don't fix it would have been an excellent idiom for Long Winters' frontman John Roderick to abide by. Read more
Published on August 1, 2006 by Jason Moore
5.0 out of 5 stars
A factastic album
This album is fantastic. So fantastic I can't really think of anything clever to say.
It is the rockingest Long Winters album yet, with songs you will be humming... Read more
It is the rockingest Long Winters album yet, with songs you will be humming... Read more
Published on July 31, 2006 by Anthony Wirt
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