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Rainy Day Music is a perfect title for this album, and if Gary Louris and co. had sleepy songs in mind as an artistic objective, they definitely reached that goal. Unfortunately, that is about all that is perfect about this album. At its best moments this CD features timeless, classic alt-country ballads that could have been recorded any decade of the last forty years (maybe with the exception of the 80s, when everybody on this planet was on crack). At times, the songwriting and style are reminscent of Bob Dylan, and later harmonies take one back to the good old Doobie Bros. Background vocals provided by guests Chris Stills and Matthew Sweet help create sometimes rich harmonies, and of course Gary Louris’s trademark fragile-sounding vocals are good as always.
What Rainy Day Music suffers from is repetitive lyrics and a lack of memorable melodies. Songs like “Stumbling through the Dark” and “Save it for a Rainy Day”, while nice at first, beg you to push the > button after about five or six times of repeated lines. Trite lyrics abound, giving too many of the songs a lackluster and forgettable feel.
Take heart, though, fair listener! (8 Melville novels in one semester will do this to you). The Jayhawks haven’t let you down completely. The “eh...” tracks make the better songs stand out all that much more. The prettiest song on the album, written by bassist Marc Perlman, is “Will I See You in Heaven.” This song, with its easy, folky swing, reminds you of why you started liking this band from the start. It’s as good as anything on Tomorrow the Green Grass. “Don’t Let the World Get in Your Way” is another one of those instant favorites, and one track from the bonus disc, “Fools on Parade”, should have reached more than demo status. Ah, things that should happen but don’t...
This is one of those albums that will have to “grow on you”, moreso than any other music the Jayhawks have put out in the past. Or maybe I’m just too optimistic to want to listen to a CD full of sleepy, somewhat depressing music. I don’t think it’s me, though. This album just doesn’t.... take you there. Eh. 1. Stumbling Through the Dark
2. Tailspin
3. All the Right Reasons
4. Save It for a Rainy Day
5. Eyes of Sarah Jane
6. One Man's Problem
7. Don't Let the World Get in Your Way
8. Come to the River
9. Angelyne
10. Madman
11. You Look So Young
12. Tampa to Tulsa
13. Will I See You in Heaven
14. Stumbling Through the Dark (Reprise)
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