It's Raining Down Here So.......
This is a list of albums selected by me that suit this damp and miserable day quite well in my opinion. Please judge them on that merit. |
| 1 |  | Nine Inch Nails
Pretty Hate Machine
Outdated, but that's its charm. Mr Reznor sounds like every dream he ever had as a child is being shattered. Probably the most honest stuff he has written (with the exception of the Fragile) and it's simple, highlighting the emotional impact of the record. Down In It, Something I Can Never Have and Ringfinger are perfect for miserable damp spells. |
| 2 |  | Goo Goo Dolls
Dizzy Up the Girl
There is something about the clean production which makes these mostly blissful acoustic songs stick out as rainy day anthems. Perhaps it's Rzeznik's tightly focused, introspective set ranging from alcoholism to heartache (Iris for you) Either way, nearly every song here should prove an excellent dose of cathartic acoustic pop. |
| 3 |  | Opeth
Morningrise
This one sounds like its soul purpose was to provide rainy day atmosphere. Probably Opeth's softest release to feature death growling. The dry, grey atmosphere really helps those acoustic passages sink further in. To Bid You Farewell is my ultimate rainy day song. |
| 4 |  | R.E.M.
Murmur
Timeless, mystical and downright wet. The albums cover is a dead give away in preparing you for the 12 flat out perfect R.E.M. songs inside. Not to say this is R.E.M.'s best, but this is lean alternative rock with no filler what so ever. I have no idea what most of these songs mean, but boy do they remind me of a rainy day out in the countryside. |
| 5 | | The Cranberries
Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We?
Lean, gorgeous alternative pop rock. A perfect rainy day soundtrack for remembering old flames. Probably the groups most unpretentious offering as well. The heavy reverb on Noel Hogan's guitar almost touches on the ethereal soundscapes of the dream pop genre. |
| 6 |  | Harold Budd
Lovely Thunder
Another collection of ingenious ambient compositions from the widely unknown Harold Budd. The title says it all, this is 48 minutes of rainy day musical imagery. If The Pearl was about beauty without a hint of the foreboding, then this is Budd's nastier side. That's fine however, as even at his most unhinged, this composer can't help but let some sunlight through. |
| 7 |  | David Bowie
Station to Station
I find Bowie's next opus, "Low" to suit a snowy winter trapped in a cavern more than a rainy day. Station to Station along with Scary Monsters may be his most definitive album in terms of a carrier overview. The cocaine fueled Station to Station is filled with slightly unsettling electronics and cold lead guitars hovering in the distance. Take that sound and combine it with largely despondent and confused lyrics and you get David Bowie on a rainy day. |
| 8 |  | The Gathering
Sleepy Buildings: A Semi-Acoustic Evening
An exquisite live album. This gem sees The Gathering take their most melodic songs and perform them in a "semi acoustic" format, as the title suggests. The set list concentrates on ballads more than anything else, but the band knows how to keep their arrangements varied throughout. The intimate atmosphere and the largely introspective collection of songs is perfect for a day like this one. |
| 9 |  | Elliott Smith
Elliott Smith
Elliott Smith at his most stripped down (with the exception of Roman Candle). This is probably his simplest collection of songs. Few knew how to evoke sadness like Smith and his self titled album may be his most upfront recording. A drugged up beauty to behold, don't let the day go by without it. |
| 10 |  | Katatonia
Discouraged Ones
It may sound simple to the ears but this collection of symphonic black metal is coated in echo and lush twangy guitar effects. Jonas Renkse sounds like a ghost with a chip on his shoulder describing his usual day of pain and anguish. There is a lovely sense of atmosphere to this cd and the inclusion of infrequent but effective keyboard lines add to it. |
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