Big Red Machine
How Long Do You Think It’s Gonna Last?
Jagjaguwar/37d03d
Aug 31, 2021 Web Exclusive
If there has ever been a more perfectly titled album than Big Red Machine’s How Long Do You Think It’s Gonna Last?, make yourself known. At just a smidge over an hour long and 15 (!) tracks, Aaron Dessner and Justin Vernon’s pet project has become the musical equivalent of Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner. And unfortunately, barring a few standouts, most of the guests add little spice to the proceedings, assuming they are even detectable at all.
The highlights of How Long are revealed inside the first five songs, and if you’ve heard the previously released singles, you know them already. Anaïs Mitchell’s more astringent vocal tone melds perfectly with Vernon’s supple one on lead off track “Latter Days.” The mix of piano and martial drumming sets a bracing backdrop for Mitchell’s vocal lead. An everyday recollection of “passing around a plastic cup” somehow takes on a degree of fascination in her hands. Superstar Taylor Swift brings her best sure-footed prance through her turn on “Renegade,” making even the nonsensical “the shape of you was jagged and weak” something to sing along to. Best of all though is lead Fleet Foxer Robin Pecknold’s performance on “Phoenix.” The joyful piano line that runs through the song is met with Pecknold’s ever sunnier vocal approach, giving Vernon the chance to be the gruffer of the duet.
Dessner handles lead vocals on a few songs and adds the rare bit of energy over the latter two-thirds of the album. “The Ghost of Cincinnati” benefits from a little punchiness no doubt brought about by a sense of Dessner’s debut jitters. And though bordering on the sentimental, it’s hard not to like his tribute to his twin on “Brycie.” But outside of these, there is little of interest left. It’s all very innocuous and listenable, but none of it is attention getting. The absolute low point arrives on “June’s a River,” where the plodding melody is further drug down by Ben Howard’s lifeless lead vocal. Vernon’s own leads are less than notable as well, with minor Auto-Tune effects not having the freshness of his earlier experiments. While his tribute to late Frightened Rabbit leader Scott Hutchison (“Hutch”) no doubt has its heart in the right place, it makes for a tough listen with Vernon’s “wish I coulda been there to save ya” sentiment.
The album’s extensive list of credits and guests touts, among others, Sharon Van Etten, This Is The Kit’s Kate Stables, and a second track featuring Swift (“Birch”). But in spite of their distinctive voices you really have to be reading along to notice those moments. The initial news of Dessner and Vernon joining forces certainly held promise and there were several debut album highlights as well. The duo have now painted themselves in the corner of having to bring some celebrity firepower to each song or there doesn’t seem to be much course left to run. Perhaps that’s what the album’s title is nodding towards. “Phoenix,” “Latter Days,” and “Renegade” are the easy bet boxed Trifecta here, with a dozen other also-rans not standing much of a chance. (www.bigredmachine.bandcamp.com)
Author rating: 6/10
Average reader rating: 6/10
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