[CRÍTICA] BIG RED MACHINE - HOW LONG DO YOU THINK IT'S GONNA LAST?

When two great artists come together, magic is born. It was in 2008 when Justin Vernon (Bon Iver) and Aaron Dessner (The National), started Big Red Machine, a musical collaboration that would benefit different causes.

In 2018, after several years and presentations with guest artists, they released their debut album, it was time to make a mark of the fusion they had been working on for a long period. Their first album featured the participation of Phoebe Bridgers, Kate Stables O Bryce Dessner, among others.

Since then both Aaron and Vernon have been very active, whether with The National, Bon Iver, or other projects. It should be noted that they were also an important part of Folklore and Evermore, the albums that Taylor Swift released in 2020, which were a huge surprise to many. Dessner went on to become an acclaimed, Grammy-winning, chart-topping songwriter and producer, establishing a remote partnership with Taylor Swift and Jack Antonoff that produced two sensational albums during the pandemic.

Despite all the work they’ve had individually, Dessner and Vernon teamed up again to create Big Red Machine’s second full-length album., How Long Do You Think It’s Gonna Last?, this time his special guests were Fleet Foxes, Lisa Hannigan, Ben Howard, Ilsey, La Force, Anaïs Mitchell, Naeem, Shara Nova, Taylor Swift, and Sharon Van Etten.

The disc opens with Latter Days, a theme accompanied by a subtle piano and a melancholic atmosphere, which tells us that when the last days of a story approach, everything that was lived within it begins to be remembered. Phoenix is one of the most exquisite tracks on the album, where the synergy between Fleet Foxes and Anais Mitchell is wonderful.

Although most of the songs have some special participation, there are a couple in which Dessner wanted to be the main voice, how is it The Ghost of Cincinnati, inspired by the script of Dandelion, referring to someone who feels like a ghost, who questions his past and contemplates his destiny. Taylor Swift was present in two themes, Birch and Renegade, being the second the first single from the album. Both songs confirm that the union of these three artists gives very good results.

Most tracks continue along the same lines, with acoustic guitars, harmonious pianos, and smoothly sliding rhythms. It is not the case of Hoping Then and the almost rap of Easy To Sabotage, that break that tune.

The album has great collaborations. The first half feels like being in front of the window having a coffee while it rains. However, as he progresses he loses that connection, feeling at times lazy and improvised. They end up with a couple of songs left over to make it totally satisfying.

The ones that stand out: Phoenix, Birch, Hutch, Mimi, Renegade and The Ghost of Cincinnati.