The Long Winters

The Quick and Easy
Sound: Sugar-sweet pop delivered with a smirk
Label: Barsuk Records
Album: Putting the Days to Bed
Show: Sat. July 5th at the Showbox, 8pm

The line-up of John Roderick’s The Long Winters is chock-full of Pacific Northwest luminaries and power-pop all-stars from the past decade. It began as a duo of Roderick and Sean Nelson of Harvey Danger fame (not to mention Nelson’s stint as a KEXP DJ and as a writer for The Stranger). Shortly after the two quickly recruited Death Cab for Cutie drummer and producer Chris Walla to contribute to the Long Winters’ first album, The Worst You Can Do Is Harm. Occasional Posies bassist and Sky Cries Mary vet Joe Bass and Brian Young of Fountains of Wayne added to the debut as well.

Since then, Roderick has collaborated with Posies members Ken Stringfellow (who tours with R.E.M. these days) and Michael Schorr. With a laundry list of supporting musicians from bands so unabashedly poppy, it’s incredible the Long Winters have any edge at all. The Posies have long been regarded as purveyors of perfect pop, Fountains of Wayne criticized for obscenely catchy hooks and diet-coke lyrics, Death Cab accused of flurries of schmaltzy lyricism (albeit with gorgeous instrumentation), and R.E.M. blasted for frivolous hits like “Shiny Happy People.”

Roderick, though, must have gleaned a few tricks along the way. Though all the aforementioned bands dabbled in pure pop, they managed to sneak in dark little morsels of lyricism and wit that elevated their major chord structures and winsome harmonies to genuine beauty. Still, “Cinnamon,” from 2003’s Winter’s release When I Pretend to Fall was stuck in my head (pleasantly at first, then obnoxiously) for months.

The Long Winters’ latest album, Putting the Days to Bed, is another success for Roderick and his constantly evolving group. Songs like “Sky is Open” feature crunchy guitar, airy backing vocals, and keyboards that blend well with Roderick’s rough-around-the-edges vocals. “Honest” is trademark Long Winters—catchy acoustic guitar with plaintive singing and simple instrumentation. There are a couple of up-tempo bangers like “Teaspoon” and “Pushover” pleasantly mixed in, rounding out the album into a work that isn’t completely bubble-gum—perfect, pure, or power—but still inextricably pop. It’s like an Old Country Buffet, except all the food is good.