The Long Winters
Putting the Days to Bed
Barsuk Records 

Normally an album like Putting the Days to Bed would be an achievement worth celebrating, however coming from Alaska’s The Long Winters, it mostly confirms what we already knew coming in: songwriter John Roderick can pen one hell of a pop song. Putting the Days to Bed is When I Pretend to Fall cranked up to 11, juiced on steroids, and dressed up in a fancy, new suit. Everything has been elevated to the next level, creating what should be a milestone in the band’s career, but somehow, it isn’t.

When you begin to strip away the anti-fashion, stereotypical backstories, and the rest of the excess baggage that pervades indie rock, you are left with only true talent and creativity to justify the up-to-15-dollar investment a record normally requires; Putting the Days to Bed is made up entirely of these core elements. All the extra fluff and indie rockstar showmanship is left out in the cold where it belongs, however, because of this the album will never be more than an ‘overlooked surprise’ or a ’sleeper’.

The sad truth is that in order to evoke any substantial hype, you need an eccentric biography or the right look- any gimmick that can stick in the fans’ minds- and John Roderick will be the first one to tell you that he isn’t a recluse from Brazil nor does he look like the thin pale faced front-men that rule underground rock. He is just a dude who writes songs. Great ones at that. If you can swallow this fact and give his albums a listen, you’ll uncover a treasure trove of beautiful pop music. Upbeat numbers like ‘Fire Island AK’ and ‘Pushover’, which show off the writer’s clever lyrics and increased vocal confidence, and ‘Ultimatum’, which is beefed up and revamped from last year’s Ultimatum EP.

All in all, those lucky enough to get a hold of this record will be very proud that they did. Whether or not the rest of the world continues looking for the next sleek, hip band of the week, John Roderick and the Long Winters can rest soundly knowing they scored big where it counts: the music.

MP3
Pushover

Websites
http://www.thelongwinters.com
http://www.myspace.com/thelongwinters
http://www.barsuk.com