How Long Can It Last

As the Jeanines, the songwriting team of Alicia Jeanine and Jed Smith have stood out from other indie pop bands by adding folk-rock jangle and other tinges of folksy traditionalism to their otherwise bouncy and melodic tunes. While the band is still exploring a sound that descends from the starry-eyed pop of C-86, Sarah Records, and early K Records lineage, their songs are grounded by their folkier leanings, highlighting a realism and weariness in the songwriting that a fully pop-modeled sound might obscure. The Jeanines’ third album, How Long Can It Last, is another set of songs from the band that leans into their unique assemblage of sonic reference points and highlights the sharpness of their collective songwriting talents. Songs like opening track “To Fail” or “What’s Lost” bear some similarities to the straightforward catchiness of beloved indie bands like Black Tambourine or the Aislers Set, but the Jeanines’ choice to dial back the girl group reverb that those bands relished reveals grimmer lyrical perspectives and a more-earthbound pop sensibility. Parts of the Jeanines’ sound harkens back to the moody mystique of ‘60s bands that were finding their way between folk-rock and psychedelia. In particular, the choral-esque vocal arrangement on “You Can’t Get It Back” is reminiscent of the baroque harmonies of certain songs by the Zombies or the Left Banke, and flashes of electric 12-string guitar amplify the influence of the Byrds or later inspirational bands from the Paisley Underground scene of 1980’s Los Angeles. Folk-rock harmonies and guitar jangle meet with a newfound mod shuffle on standout track “On and On,” a song that can’t quite decide if its ready to dance or grieve a lost love but still remains strange and captivating for the entirety of its 93-second run time. Brevity is a theme throughout How Long Can It Last, with the majority of its 13 songs clocking in at around a minute-and-a-half long, and none of them lingering too much longer than the two-minute mark. The way the band get right to the point with their strategically choreographed song structures, the thoughtfully metered production, and a deeply intentional quilting of smart songwriting and reserved nods to uncommon influences make for another excellent chapter in the Jeanines story. Even without calculating the various factors that set the band apart, How Long Can It Last wins on just how immediately enjoyable these songs are to listen to. ~ Fred Thomas