The Rain Mixtape
There is nothing better than listening to music on a rainy day.
Here in Chicago, the hometown of HEAVE, spring guarantees one thing - and it isn’t flowers and blossoming trees; it’s rain. Really cold drizzly rain, the kind that is sporadic enough that you permanently carry an umbrella in your bag for the whole month of April. Some days it’s a nuisance, but at times the rain is refreshing and therapeutic. It’s calming, it washes a layer of the world away, and sometimes a dreary day can actually make you smile. This week is a mixtape dedicated to the wet stuff that falls from the sky.
Creedence Clearwater Revival - Have You Ever Seen the Rain? - CCR created what I believe one of the most earnest cry-in-your-beer heartache songs. It’s a perfect southern rock gem to wander around in the rain to, even if your heart isn’t broken.
Billie Meyers - Kiss the Rain - In the 7th grade I was really bummed at a party, and my friend Nick serenaded me with a perfect gut wrenching rendition of this song that to this day still makes me laugh. Nick was built like a football player, had a giant square head, and couldn’t carry a tune in a bucket. It was perfection. This song is one of the only things that will make me smile during a downpour.
CocoRosie - Terrible Angels - CocoRosie’s entire catalog has a damp dew soaked feel to it, so it’s no surprise that this song fits perfectly while staring out a window as the rain pours down. Their music is strange and foreign, yet oddly comforting.
Death Cab For Cutie - Coney Island - Although “Transatlanticism” was my obvious pick, “Coney Island” always reminds me of the last day I briefly lived in New York City, as I wandered around Coney Island on a blustery and rain misting March day. Feel free to substitute multiple Death Cab songs for this one though. Ben Gibbard seems to write some dreary music.)
Bright Eyes - Spent on Rainy Days - The line “Wished I saved up for rainy days because they are the hardest to be dry,” gets me every time, despite the subject matter. Then again, Conor Oberst isn’t the happiest or most stable fellow. I think indie rock in general needs some Xanax.
Bon Iver - Re: Stacks - Apparently if you move to a cabin in Wisconsin and write music, you come up with some beautiful songs. Don’t quote me on this, because it may not work for everyone. Bon Iver’s entire album For Emma, Forever Ago is full of subtle music for a rainy day.
Bill Withers - Ain’t No Sunshine - Try walking the streets on a grey and rain soaked day listening to this classic and not feel like your life is a scene in a movie. It’s impossible.
O.K. Go - Let It Rain - I’ve actually stood in a downpour with this song playing, and it goes together nicely. Makes one wonder if O.K. Go are actually a bit more deep than just those guys who won a Grammy for dancing on treadmills.
Radiohead - Sit Down, Stand Up (Snakes & Ladders) - Radiohead is another band that makes a lot of wonderful music for a dreary day. I blame the fact they are from England. Try listening to this in the dark while the rains pounds down, and you might just convince yourself the world is ending. I would not recommend doing this while under an altered state though, or it's a sure bet you'll convince yourself the world is ending. Which is funny until you wake up naked covered in mud hiding in the woods. You've been warned.
Posted by Lisa White on Apr 16, 2009 @ 9:00 am
