The Something Rain

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The Something Rain
Tindersticks the Something Rain cover.jpg
Studio album by
Tindersticks
Released20 February 2012
RecordedMay 2010 – August 2011
StudioLe Chien Chanceux, Creuse, France
Length50:14
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)		 Across Six Leap Years
(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.

Contents

In 2012 it was awarded a double silver certification from the Independent Music Companies Association, [1] which indicated sales of at least 40,000 copies throughout Europe.

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. [2] 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." [3]

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. [4]

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
SourceRating
Allmusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [5]
Drowned in Sound 9/10 [6]
The Guardian Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [7]
The Independent on Sunday Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [8]
Mojo Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [9]
MusicOMH Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [10]
Pitchfork Media 8.1/10 [11]
Q Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [12]
Uncut Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [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" [14] 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]

Tindersticks keyboardist David Boulter later selected the album as his favorite Tindersticks release in a 2016 interview. [15]

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

Charts

Chart (2012)Peak
position
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria) [16] 23
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders) [17] 21
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia) [18] 48
Danish Albums (Hitlisten) [19] 20
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100) [20] 25
French Albums (SNEP) [21] 37
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100) [22] 29
Portuguese Albums (AFP) [23] 22
Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE) [24] 70
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan) [25] 51
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade) [26] 37
UK Albums (OCC) [27] 59

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References

  1. ↑ "13/12/12: More Independent Artists Take European Gold, Silver and Platinum Awards Than Ever Before | Impala". Archived from the original on 18 July 2018. Retrieved 2 November 2017.
  2. ↑ "Q&A: Tindersticks". MusicOMH. March 2012. Retrieved 18 March 2012.
  3. ↑ Rogers, Jude (27 February 2012). "Staples' Diet: Tindersticks Interviewed". The Quietus . Retrieved 18 March 2012.
  4. ↑ Interview with Stuart Staples on FaceCulture's YouTube channel on YouTube
  5. ↑ Jurek, Thom. Tindersticks: The Something Rain > Review at AllMusic
  6. 1 2 Edwards, David (17 February 2012). "Review: Tindersticks – The Something Rain". Drowned in Sound. Archived from the original on 17 February 2012. Retrieved 18 February 2012.
  7. 1 2 Richardson Andrews, Charlotte (16 February 2012). "Review: Tindersticks: The Something Rain". The Guardian . London, England. Retrieved 18 February 2012.
  8. ↑ Price, Simon (19 February 2012). "Review: Tindersticks – The Something Rain" . The Independent on Sunday . London, England: Independent Print Limited. Archived from the original on 18 June 2022. Retrieved 18 March 2012.
  9. 1 2 McNair, James (March 2012). "Review: Tindersticks – The Something Rain". Mojo . London, England: Bauer Media Group. p. 92.
  10. 1 2 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. 1 2 Segal, Victoria (April 2012). "Review: Tindersticks – The Something Rain". Q . London, England: Bauer Media Group. p. 105.
  13. 1 2 Robinson, John (March 2012). "Review: Tindersticks – The Something Rain". Uncut . London, England: IPC Media. p. 101.
  14. ↑ Pearlman, Mischa (13 February 2012). "Review: Tindersticks – The Something Rain". BBC Music . Retrieved 18 February 2012.
  15. ↑ Schonfeld, Zach (14 January 2016). "David Boulter Mercilessly Ranks Every Tindersticks Album". Noisey. VICE Media. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
  16. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Tindersticks – The Something Rain" (in German). Hung Medien.
  17. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Tindersticks – The Something Rain" (in Dutch). Hung Medien.
  18. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Tindersticks – The Something Rain" (in French). Hung Medien.
  19. ↑ "Danishcharts.dk – Tindersticks – The Something Rain". Hung Medien.
  20. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Tindersticks – The Something Rain" (in Dutch). Hung Medien.
  21. ↑ "Lescharts.com – Tindersticks – The Something Rain". Hung Medien.
  22. ↑ "Longplay-Chartverfolgung at Musicline" (in German). Musicline.de. Phononet GmbH.
  23. ↑ "Portuguesecharts.com – Tindersticks – The Something Rain". Hung Medien.
  24. ↑ "Spanishcharts.com – Tindersticks – The Something Rain". Hung Medien.
  25. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Tindersticks – The Something Rain". Hung Medien.
  26. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Tindersticks – The Something Rain". Hung Medien.
  27. ↑ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
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