The Worst You Can Do Is Harm

Initially, the most striking thing about The Worst You Can Do Is Harm is lead singer John Roderick's vocal similarity to R.E.M.'s Michael Stipe. It's pretty uncanny. And from there the comparisons take off to not only a slightly mellower R.E.M., but to some of those alternative rock bands of the mid-'90s. Not the heavy ones like Alice in Chains, but the ones such as Soul Asylum or Counting Crows. Not that they sound exactly like the Long Winters, but the feeling and general gist of the sound is evident. And with members of such acts as Death Cab for Cutie, Harvey Danger, Posies, Big Star, Sunny Day Real Estate, Built to Spill, and Fountains of Wayne helping Roderick out, it's not surprising that the album ends up being a mesh of all those bands taking on the feel of radio-friendly alternative rock while hiding safely behind the moniker of an indie label with great potential. None of this is to say that this is a poor album. It just seems to be another in a long line of artsy releases that no matter how deep, creative, or original they think they are, they're just there. In comparison with the wide array of artists and acts out there, it requires a lot more than just a flashy group of musicians to make for a good album. The Long Winters have written some decent songs, but they fail to include the hooks or rich creativity needed to make it a winner.