I discovered The Long Winters one day while I was at work, listening to Pandora while doing emails or something that didn’t need the use of brain cells. I have always enjoyed music that doesn’t follow the typical chord progressions of modern music, and Ultimatum immediately caught my attention when it came on. There’s a good chance that I was just staring at the computer monitor, waiting for sweet death to take me away…and The Long Winters saved me.
This is one of my favorite pieces of all time. Checking iTunes now, I see I have listened to it 83 times. 83.
“But The Reviewist!” you say.
“That doesn’t seem to be THAT many times, does it?”
Yes….yes it is. Name something you have done 83 times (that doesn’t involve rashes or something I would rather die than hear vocalized).
Quick phrases, rapid chord progression that follow something more akin to Wagner than most things you hear in the present day. Mournful, pining sustains with an almost haunting harmony. Good technical playing of the guitar. The vocals in Ultimatum are superb. Somehow they portray the whole story of the song. Which is good, since the lyrics (if we are being honest) make little to no sense. Well placed harmonies…seriously.
Buy this song on iTunes.
Now.
Do it.
