Rainy Day Music

Rainy Day Music
Studio album by The Jayhawks
Released April 8, 2003
Recorded Sunset Sound Recording Studio, Los Angeles, CA
Genre Pop Rock, Alt-Country, Folk Pop
Length 50:51
Label American/Lost Highway
Producer Rick Rubin (exec.)
Ethan Johns
The Jayhawks chronology
Smile
(2000)		 Rainy Day Music
(2003)		 Music From The North Country - The Jayhawks Anthology
(2009)

Rainy Day Music is an album by the American alternative country and rock band The Jayhawks, released in 2003. It debuted on the Billboard 200 at number 51, selling 19,000 copies that week.[1]

History

At the time of the recording, the band consisted of the trio Gary Louris and long-time members Marc Perlman and Tim O'Reagan. New guitarist Stephen McCarthy replaced guitarist Kraig Johnson. The initial release included a bonus CD of six songs, including a solo live performance by Louris of "Waiting For the Sun", the lead-off track of the group's 1992 album Hollywood Town Hall, on April 26, 2002 at The Woman's Club, Minneapolis, MN.

Guests on the album included Bernie Leadon, Jakob Dylan and Matthew Sweet.

Reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic73/100[2]
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[3]
Dirty Linen(not rated)[4]
Entertainment WeeklyB+[5]
Glide[6]
Mojo[7]
Pitchfork Media(6.1/10)[8]
Uncut[9]

Rainy Day Music received generally enthusiastic, but some lukewarm reviews. In his review for Allmusic, Zac Johnson notes the return to roots music versus the band's previous albums in a more pop style. He praises the first six songs but that "the second half stumbles", concluding that "it's certainly an album that gets better with each listen, so it may yet prove to be worth its weight in acoustic gold."[3] Pitchfork Media reviewer Andrew Bryant agreed that the first half surpasses the second, writing the latter songs "...simply sound forced, pushing the combination of what constitutes alt-country and folk-rock to its limit of self-parody, and at times irreversibly crossing that line." He ultimately concludes the album "the sound of a dog (or more appropriately a bird) chasing its own tail, content with plugging away at the same formula as long as there's still precedence for satisfying their musical niche."[8]

Glide reviewer Shane Handler called it "...a warm statement made in the spirit of bluegrass and country/folk that can uplift, inspire and enduringly stand the test of time."[6] Dirty Linen called it "A low-key effort that features delicate harmonies, recalling California relatives such as Poco and the post-Gram Parsons Burrito Brothers".[4] Uncut gave it 4 out of 5 stars — "It's all acoustic guitars, rich jangling melodies and heavenly harmonies....Gary Louris has come up with some of his most memorable compositions."[9] Entertainment Weekly described it as "Folk-rock laced with banjos, accordions, and pedal steel, Rainy Day Music is the roots move one suspects fans have wanted for years, its classic rock flavor echoing the Byrds, CSNY, and Poco" and gave it a B+ rating.[5] Mojo gave it 3 stars out of 5 — "...their new-found economy makes for some pretty lovely highpoints....Louris is unquestionably a virtuoso, playing his parts with a decorous restraint, and contributing cooing, affectingly human vocals."[7]

Track listing

All songs by Gary Louris unless otherwise noted.

  1. "Stumbling Through the Dark" (Gary Louris, Matthew Sweet) – 2:26
  2. "Tailspin" – 3:19
  3. "All the Right Reasons" – 3:25
  4. "Save It for a Rainy Day" – 3:08
  5. "Eyes of Sarahjane" – 3:48
  6. "One Man's Problem" – 4:02
  7. "Don't Let the World Get in Your Way" (Tim O'Reagan) – 4:19
  8. "Come to the River" – 4:29
  9. "Angelyne" – 3:44
  10. "Madman" – 4:04
  11. "You Look So Young" – 4:03
  12. "Tampa to Tulsa" (O'Reagan) – 4:02
  13. "Will I See You in Heaven" (Marc Perlman) – 3:39
  14. "Stumbling Through the Dark (Reprise)" (Louris, Sweet) – 2:17

The initial CD release of Rainy Day Music included a bonus CD, entitled More Rain, which included:

  1. "Fools On Parade" - 3:29
  2. "Say Your Prayers" (Demo) - 3:35
  3. "All The Right Reasons" (Alternate Mix) - 3:30
  4. "Caught With a Smile on My Face" (Demo) - 3:49
  5. "Tampa To Tulsa" (Alternate Mix) - 4:08
  6. "Waiting For the Sun" (Louris, Mark Olson) (Live performance by Gary Louris on April 26, 2002 at The Woman's Club, Minneapolis, MN ) - 4:07

The 2003 2 LP release of Rainy Day Music also included the More Rain tracks.

2014 expanded reissue track listing

All songs by Gary Louris unless otherwise noted.

  1. "Stumbling Through the Dark" (Gary Louris, Matthew Sweet) – 2:26
  2. "Tailspin" – 3:19
  3. "All the Right Reasons" – 3:25
  4. "Save It for a Rainy Day" – 3:08
  5. "Eyes of Sarahjane" – 3:48
  6. "One Man's Problem" – 4:02
  7. "Don't Let the World Get in Your Way" (Tim O'Reagan) – 4:19
  8. "Come to the River" – 4:29
  9. "Angelyne" – 3:44
  10. "Madman" – 4:04
  11. "You Look So Young" – 4:03
  12. "Tampa to Tulsa" (O'Reagan) – 4:02
  13. "Will I See You in Heaven" (Marc Perlman) – 3:39
  14. "Stumbling Through the Dark (Reprise)" (Louris, Sweet) – 2:17
  15. "Tailspin ("Inbred" version)" - 4:12 (demo - previously unreleased)
  16. "Waiting For Salvation" - 4:02 (demo - previously unreleased)
  17. "The Book You Wrote" - 3:10 (demo - previously unreleased)
  18. "False Eyelashes (Blue-Eyed Soul)" - 3:00 (demo - previously unreleased)
  19. "Won't Last Long" - 3:17 (demo - previously unreleased)
  20. "In the Canyon" - 3:57 (Live at First Avenue - Minneapolis, MN - 7/29/2001 - previously unreleased)

Personnel

Additional musicians:

Production notes

References

  1. ↑ Todd Martens, "Godsmack Takes 'Faceless' Straight To No. 1", Billboard.com, April 16, 2003.
  2. ↑ http://www.metacritic.com/music/rainy-day-music/the-jayhawks
  3. 1 2 Johnson, Zac. "Rainy Day Music > Review". Allmusic. Retrieved June 15, 2011.
  4. 1 2 "Rainy Day Music > Review". Dirty Linen. June 2003.
  5. 1 2 Hermes, Will (April 2003). "Rainy Day Music > Review". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved June 15, 2011.
  6. 1 2 Handler, Shane. "Rainy Day Music > Review". Glide. Retrieved June 15, 2011.
  7. 1 2 "Rainy Day Music > Review". Mojo. April 2003.
  8. 1 2 Bryant, Andrew. "Rainy Day Music > Review". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved June 15, 2011.
  9. 1 2 "Rainy Day Music > Review". Uncut. May 2003.

External links

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