The Something Rain

The Something Rain
Studio album by Tindersticks
Released 20 February 2012 (UK & Europe)
21 February 2012 (US & Canada)
Recorded May 2010 – August 2011 at Le Chien Chanceux, Creuse, France
Length 50:14
Label Lucky Dog Recordings (UK)
City Slang (Europe)
Constellation (US & Canada)
Producer Stuart A. Staples
Tindersticks chronology

Claire Denis Film Scores 1996–2009
(2011)		 The Something Rain
(2012)		 Les Salauds
(2013)

The Something Rain is the ninth studio album by British band Tindersticks, released in February 2012 on their own Lucky Dog Recordings label in the UK, on City Slang Records in Europe, and on Constellation Records in North America.

Recording

The initial impetus for making a new album came from ideas for a story EP written by keyboard player David Boulter (which became the opening track "Chocolate"), and the album was recorded in stages over the course of a year at the band's studio in France.[1] The recording of the album was overshadowed by the deaths of several friends and family members, but the band were determined to react to the experience positively, rather than wallow in melancholia – Boulter said in an interview that "we didn't want that for the people that'd gone. It was more that the sadness gave us energy to push even harder. To do something great."[2]

In a video interview with the Dutch online music magazine FaceCulture, singer Stuart Staples said the album's title was inspired by a story related by guitarist David Kitt, when Kitt had been sent to a songwriting workshop in the United States, and a fellow attendee was having trouble finding a suitable adjective to describe the song he was writing.[3]

Artwork

The album's cover is taken from a work of art titled Skies, September '10–September '11 by Staples' wife Suzanne Osborne, and photographed by guitarist Neil Fraser.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic [4]
BBC Music favourable[5]
Drowned in Sound 9/10[6]
The Guardian [7]
The Independent on Sunday [8]
Mojo [9]
MusicOMH [10]
Pitchfork Media 8.1/10[11]
Q [12]
Uncut [13]

Reviews for the album were generally positive. The Guardian noted that "Tindersticks' maudlin, jazz-streaked music feels as vividly wearied as ever".[7] BBC Music said "At times, the results here are slightly obtuse... It may not be a Tindersticks classic, in the same vein as 1997's sublime Curtains, but The Something Rain is a record full of mystery and intrigue that will keep you listening—and discovering new things each time—for a good while"[5] and Mojo said that "...for all its gentle yet intense reflection, it's never overtly maudlin".[9] Uncut declared that Tindersticks were "a band who seem to have rediscovered new ways of putting together their already impressive constituent parts".[13] Q stated that "their content has never strayed too far from their discomfort zone... The Something Rain keeps Tindersticks' value high."[12] MusicOMH was enthusiastic, stating that "The Something Rain arguably tops [Falling Down a Mountain], seeing the band in superlative form... It may be nearly two decades since their debut album but The Something Rain sounds like a band in their prime, switching between styles effortlessly and enjoying a new lease of life."[10] Drowned in Sound was similarly won over, declaring that "for the first time in nearly a decade, Tindersticks sound urgent again... The result is a glorious, heady swirl of a record... To be able to create something this beautiful at such an advanced stage in a bands lifespan is a true testament to the skill and sorcery found in every limb, larynx and lovelorn heart of this band."[6]

Track listing

  1. "Chocolate" (David Boulter) – 9:04
  2. "Show Me Everything" (Boulter/Stuart Staples) – 5:29
  3. "This Fire of Autumn" (Staples) – 4:17
  4. "A Night So Still" (Dan McKinna/Staples) – 5:44
  5. "Slippin' Shoes" (Staples) – 4:32
  6. "Medicine" (Staples) – 4:59
  7. "Frozen" (David Kitt/Staples) – 5:43
  8. "Come Inside" (Staples) – 7:40
  9. "Goodbye Joe" (Boulter) – 2:42

Personnel

Tindersticks

Additional personnel

Chart positions

Chart (2012) Peak
position
Austrian Album Chart[14] 23
Belgian (Flanders) Album Chart[15] 21
Belgian (Wallonia) Album Chart[16] 48
Danish Album Chart[17] 20
Dutch Album Chart[18] 25
French Album Chart 37
Portuguese Album Chart 22
Spanish Album Chart[19] 70
Swedish Album Chart[20] 51
Swiss Album Chart[21] 46
UK Albums Chart[22] 59

References

  1. ↑ "Q&A: Tindersticks". MusicOMH. March 2012. Retrieved 18 March 2012.
  2. ↑ Rogers, Jude (27 February 2012). "Staples' Diet: Tindersticks Interviewed". The Quietus. Retrieved 18 March 2012.
  3. ↑ Interview with Stuart Staples on FaceCulture's YouTube channel on YouTube
  4. ↑ Jurek, Thom. Tindersticks: The Something Rain > Review at AllMusic
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Pearlman, Mischa (13 February 2012). "Review: Tindersticks – The Something Rain". BBC Music. Retrieved 18 February 2012.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Edwards, David (17 February 2012). "Review: Tindersticks – The Something Rain". Drowned in Sound. Retrieved 18 February 2012.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Richardson Andrews, Charlotte (16 February 2012). "Review: Tindersticks: The Something Rain". The Guardian (London, England: Guardian Media Group). Retrieved 18 February 2012.
  8. ↑ Price, Simon (19 February 2012). "Review: Tindersticks – The Something Rain". The Independent on Sunday (London, England: Independent Print Limited). Retrieved 18 March 2012.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 McNair, James. "Review: Tindersticks – The Something Rain". Mojo (March 2012) (London, England: Bauer Media Group). p. 92.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Johnson, Steven. "Review: Tindersticks – The Something Rain". MusicOMH. Retrieved 18 February 2012.
  11. ↑ Berman, Stuart (23 February 2012). "Review: Tindersticks – The Something Rain". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved 18 March 2012.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Segal, Victoria. "Review: Tindersticks – The Something Rain". Q (April 2012) (London, England: Bauer Media Group). p. 105.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Robinson, John. "Review: Tindersticks – The Something Rain". Uncut (March 2012) (London, England: IPC Media). p. 101.
  14. ↑ "Austrian Album Charts, 2 March 2012, archived at http://www.austriancharts.at/weekchart.asp?cat=a&year=2012&date=20120302". Hung Medien. Retrieved 19 March 2012.
  15. ↑ "Ultratop 200 Albums (Flanders), 03/03/2012". Ultratop. Retrieved 19 March 2012.
  16. ↑ "Ultratop 200 Albums (Wallonia), 03/03/2012". Ultratop. Retrieved 19 March 2012.
  17. ↑ "Danmarks Officielle Hitlister, Uge 08 – 2012 (02.03.12)" (in Danish). Nielsen Music Control. Retrieved 19 March 2012.
  18. ↑ "MegaCharts, 25/03/2012" (in Dutch). GfK. Retrieved 25 February 2013.
  19. ↑ "Top 100 Albumes – Semana 8, 20/02/2012 to 26/02/2012" (in Spanish). PROMUSICAE. Retrieved 25 February 2013.
  20. ↑ "Veckolista Album – Vecka 9, 2 mars 2012" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 25 February 2013.
  21. ↑ "Schweizer Hitparade – Alben Top 100, 04/03/2012" (in German). Schweizer Hitparade. Retrieved 25 February 2013.
  22. ↑ "Tindersticks – Albums". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 25 February 2013.