Over the Rhine marks its 20th year with a new “Long Surrender” that follows the same path as previous releases: The Ohio duo/couple of Linford Detweller and Karin Bergquist casts a charming spell with a timeless sound that seamlessly moves from genre to genre (jazz, folk, pop and more), powered by fluid arrangements and Bergquist’s diverse voice. On the downside, that tendency toward classic sounds makes even the act’s original material seem vaguely familiar, as if OTR were a sophisticated cover band. What’s more, the genre jumping muddies OTR’s distinction, fostering a feeling that something’s missing. Nevertheless, “The Long Surrender,” a collaboration with Joe Henry, is sumptuous listening that evokes ageless feelings of love, sadness and hope.
| LISTEN UP |
| ‘The Long Surrender’ |
| » Artist: Over the Rhine |
| » Label: Great Speckled Dog |
| » Price: $14.99 |
Bergquist ably jumps from mood to mood, context to context. She slides into the easy sway of the bittersweet “The Laugh of Recognition” with weathered weariness, “Everybody has a dream that they will never own,” going on to explain that the song’s title refers to “When you laugh but you feel like dying.” She’s perfect for the wry lounge-bar atmosphere of “Infamous Love Song” (which includes the analogy “safe as a painting by Currier and Ives”), her delivery is stately for the dark, piano-based torcher “Sharpest Blade” and she’s sweet in the gentle, steel-steeped strains of “Days Like This.” Bergquist also has just enough contrast in her voice for a gritty duet with Lucinda Williams, “Undamned,” as the two trade lines in a Western lament.
It’s easy to get caught up in the moment, even if “The Long Surrender” doesn’t stick with you for the long haul.
