Track Listing

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)

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #51014 in Music
• Released on: 2003-04-08
• Number of discs: 1

Amazon.com
Somewhere inside Rainy Day Music beats the heart of a very fine folk-rock record. All chiming guitars and flawless falsetto, "Stumbling Through the Dark" captures the classic Jayhawks sound, and mid-tempo rockers "Tailspin" and "Eyes of SarahJane" recall older favorites like "I'd Run Away." "All the Right Reasons" floats on heavenly harmonies and "Save It for a Rainy Day" succeeds with nifty vocal interplay and a bright melodic hook. Yet, even with its share of jangle-pop gems, the disc also offers a few bland strummers that never quite take off. "One Man's Problem" boasts a catchy chorus but a dragging verse, and when chief songwriter Gary Louris hands the reins to drummer Tim O'Reagan or bassist Marc Perlman, the results suffer. The tasty pop treat "Angelyne" and an album-closing acoustic reprise of the opening track help redeem the disc's latter half, but in the end they only hint at how strong an album this might have been. --Anders Smith Lindall

Customer Reviews

A Solid Return to Their Roots
From the chiming first chords introducing Mark Louris' soaring falsetto on "Stumbling Through the Dark (Lost Highway)," it's clear the sixth effort from the slimmed-down Jayhawks will chart a return to their roots as folk rockers in the tradition of The Byrds. "Smile," their 2000 release, found them moving into polished pop/rock with the should-have-been radio hit, "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me." But it also created an identity crisis for longtime fans weaned on "Hollywood Town Hall" and "Tomorrow the Green Grass.

"Rainy Day Music" brings them back home. Soaring harmonies are everywhere. So are nice touches of banjo, pedal steel, mandolin and keyboards. Just what you'd expect from a Jayhawks disc. The first half of the record compares favorably to the best of the group's work with "Tailspin," "Save It For a Rainy Day" and "Angelyne" taking their place alongside tasty oldies like "Waiting for the Sun" and "I'd Run Away." "All the Right Reasons" might be the best ballad the band has produced in half a decade.

Reverberations of the sheen of "Smile" show up in two Beatles'-flavored cuts, "The Eyes of Sarah Jane" and "Don't Let the World Get in Your Way," while "Madman" recalls '80s CSN (which may be good or bad, depending upon your perspective). There are a couple of duds on the disc's latter half.

In the main, though, "Rainy Day Music" is a promising return to form. I slipped it into the player leaving D.C. on a road trip recently and when the album finished, I hit play again -- and then again for a third time. It's that kind of disc.

Another Classic Album
Rainy Day Music once again proves that the Jayhawks are the best alt-country act recording today. For those of you, like me, who love the Beatles, the Byrds, Simon and Garfunkle, CSNY, Dylan etc, Rainy Day Music is a light in the dark. Forever the Green Grass was my previous favorite album, and this is probably better. It showcases what the Jayhawks do best--perfect harmonies, clever acoustical guitar, and meaningful lyrics.
It is so rare any more to find a CD that has even a couple of good songs. When you put this one in and hit play, the first half of the album will amaze you. One great song after another. Yes, some of the songs in the second half do drag, but it's still good. Give it a try and you will find new music that you will be hard pressed to take out of your stereo. A masterpiece from an excellent band.

Good, straightforward acoustic rock.
It's been a long time since I heard a song on the radio that made me want to rush out and buy the CD. Then, on an alt-rock station in Northern California, I heard the Jayhawks' "Save It For a Rainy Day," and said to myself, "I must have this!" I bought the CD, and although "Save It For a Rainy Day" is still my favorite song on it, I was delighted to hear that the rest of the CD was of the same quality. The jangly, country-tinged guitars and lovely melodies make this CD compulsive listening, as does Gary Louris' pure, sweet troubadour's voice. A must for anyone who likes rock music the way they used to make it!