The Long Winters - Putting the Days To Bed Album Review

The Long Winters
Putting the Days To Bed
Album Review

The Long Winters' line up has changed (again) for this third album, but main man John Roderick's wide-ranging intelligent approach to lyrics, verses and choruses has, if anything, improved a whole couple of notches.

It is hard to make a case for any single Wilco album over this one, with the essential simplicity of the approach and the instrumentation seemingly no limit at all to invention and fresh cynicism. Putting The Days To Bed may well be the album that breaks this band, as it is the first that lifts above the quirkily interesting into a 'how can you not be interested in these guys?' compulsion.

On second or third listen, the songs have, you find, already wormed their way into your consciousness. Obvious comparisons are hard - maybe Wilco, maybe Weezer (stretching it already), maybe Fountains of Wayne (but maybe not), a less nice Pernice Brothers? This album deserves a place on your shelves if you are: a) over 25, and b) still at all interested in intelligence and substance over hype.

Rating 8/10

Mike Rea