The Jayhawks

As pioneers in the alt/country movement the Jayhawks have established themselves as the one of the most respected and critically acclaimed bands of the past ten years. In the fashion of "less is more" this Minneapolis group has downsized in band members and stripped their sound down to a grand plateau in Rainy Day Music. It stretches towards gentle, soothing, and sweet heartland melodies amongst an uplifting portrait of life and sound. After experimenting with sonic pop and alternative potions, Gary Louris, Tim O’Reagan and Marc Perlman have returned full circle from 1992’s roots based Hollywood Town Hall. This release represents a sharp departure from the crowded experiments of sonic/alternative pop in 1997’s Sound of Lies and 2000’s Smile.

With steel guitars, harmonicas, pump organs, accordians, banjos, and various percussion instruments; this stripped down sound is overwhelmingly bittersweet – although retro in its own right. In the vibe of The Eagles, America and acoustic Neil Young these songs all stick immediately and possess that power to bring you back to a particular time and place. From the acoustic opening guitar rings of "Stumbling in the Dark," Gary Louris’s polished voice garners emotion and elegance, while aching with legitimacy at the highpoints and maintaining interest amongst the narratives. "Tailspin" travels with a road weary banjo and a chorus that echoes with complacent familiarity and satisfaction. 1970’s folk endures, without the moustache and shaggy hair, in "All the Right Reasons" while grabbing a John Denver inspired tune on a ride along the "non-cheesy" highway. Graham Nash eerily echoes in the mix with his trademark high pitched backup harmonies on "Save It For A Rainy Day" and "Madman." But it’s not the legendary voice of Nash, instead it’s just a thumbs-up to the perfect mix of vocals and acoustic stomp that makes this album such a damn easy listen. "Come to the River" shows how acoustic guitars can rock with spontaneous exclamation and carry the energy in a folk rock setting. Tim O’Reagan brings John Lennon style harmonies to a couple songs, mixing up the overwhelming Americana breezes with a mix of British pop. What you won’t get with this collection is a distinct mix of attitudes and sounds, as most everything fits a simple, sentimental, stripped down affair, with lyrics of familiar themes of travel along side grass root songs about girls named Sarah Jane and Angelyne.

If you are looking for music with a dark edge, stay away, as Rainy Day Music, brings the Jayhawks into the sunlight with an irresistible collection for car rides or just plain brightening up a rainy day. This is a warm statement made in the spirit of bluegrass and country/folk that can uplift, inspire and enduringly stand the test of time.

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