Customer Reviews

Worst You Can Do Is Harm

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

If you like Death Cab for Cutie, Built to Spill, or Modest Mouse, you'll probably like this band as well. They have a similar semi-polished sound, more accessible than the Mouse and more upbeat than Death Cab (broad generalizations, of course.) There are several bouncy tracks ('Car parts' is my favorite on the CD) and a handful of slower, folkier numbers such as 'Mimi.' Great attention to detail; love the liner notes & photos. Definitely looking forward to more in the future...

After the departure of Harvey Danger, I caught wind of The Long Winters (HD's former singer Sean Nelson does backup vocals). And, although the music here is more "indie" than Harvey Danger ever was, 'The Worst You Can Do Is Harm' is a fabulous album nonetheless. (What does "indie" even mean? It seems every band not on MTV gets labeled "indie".) Every song here is beautiful one way or another, and there are countless lines that become embedded in your mind for hours on end. Whatever your taste in music--whether it's rock, pop, classical, or (dare we say) "indie"--The Long Winters are for you. An overview...

The real gems are "Unsalted Butter", "Carparts" and "Medicine Cabinet Pirate", in that order. "Unsalted Butter" boasts a simple melody mixed with scathingly soothing lyrics. John Roderick's voice make the song what it is; and that's the best song here. "Carparts" is more upbeat and rocking. The subdued 'baby wasn't down with the heist' bits stand out, and 'I don't even have cigarettes' finishes it off quite nicely. The first stanza of "Medicine..." has already been talked about here (fittingly) by another reviewer, but I must say it is one of the greatest lyrical uprisings in the history of music (really). The music is rather one-dimensional, but the lyrics are just stunning. "Mimi" is an interesting track, musically, but doesn't quite compare to "Unsalted Butter". The fast-paced silliness of "Samaritan" is amiable and intriguing, though not as absorbing or as good as "Give Me A Moment", which starts slowly--almost like techno--and fades out with beautiful piano keys. "Government Loans" and "Scent Of Lime", the two lone weak points of the album, are decent, but do take some getting used to. "Copernicus" works in the same fashion as "Unsalted Butter" and "Give Me A Moment"; it just doesn't outdo either of the two. The final, untitled track (aka "Shanty Town") is basically a free-for-all, impromptu kind of thing. It's kind of fun to listen to, but it doesn't do much compared to the other genius tracks.

This is one of those albums that doesn't (necessarily) require a love to enjoy, but simply a liking. The Long Winters are an extraordinarily escape from mainstream music and all that's wrong with today's musical craze. I absolutely love the aforementioned three songs, and the other seven I listen to on and off, between shuffles. The Barsuk website has full-length samples of "Carparts" and "Scent Of Lime", for starters. So if you get a brittle or comfortable feeling from listening to those songs, you will undoubtedly love 'The Worst You Can Do Is Harm'. This album is unlike anything I've ever heard; and I love it. You think you know the shape of the sky? Look again.

Disjointed, stumbling, dreary.
You get the sense of some talent, but the outcome seems ill-conceived.
Save yourself some money and skip this one.

Listen up. John Roderick knows more about rock and roll than 1,000 Jimi Hendrix's. The higher you get, the higher you get. Dig?

Have you ever lived in a room so cold that ink could freeze in the bottle? For seven months? This is a fascinating look into the lives of people who lived through the hard winter in the early 1880's. It drags a little in the middle, but again, when you're stuck in a sub-freezing room for seven months, there isn't necessarily much to talk about. The ending is warm (pun intended) and happy. You won't look at your central heating system the same way again!

If I heard this album earlier, I might have appreciated it more. Unfortunately, after listening to Bright Eyes, this just doesn't have the emotion or spark of genius that Connor Oberst eloquently displays on his albums. Check out Fevors and Mirrors if you want dispair.

To be fair, I did like a few of the songs and believe that there is talent there, it's just going to take some time for him to come into his own. Not too bad for a first effort. I'll probably check up on him after a few albums.