We Need The Rain
General
| May 2014
Reviews
Francis D
Reviewed 2014-05-01
Reviewed 2014-05-01
“We Need the Rain” The Bye Bye Blackbirds
Local, guitar-driven rock and power pop. Really well done — with solid writing, great arrangements and excellent musicianship. Bradley Skaught is the band’s songwriter, lead vocalist and one of its guitarists. Originally from Washington State, he now makes his home in Oakland. All the songs feature accomplished guitar work and fluid bass lines, with the occasional jangle thrown in. Vocals are very strong with lots of harmonies. While the tunes are all original, some tracks pay homage to bands from the past such as Badfinger, REM, the Hollies or Kinks, Neil Young and Crazy Horse, or even the Beatles. Highly recommended!
— Francis
Recommended: 1, 2, 9, 4, 10 No FCCs detected.
1. (3:50) All in Light – Terrific rocking, stomping opener. Power pop anthem at its best with thumping drums, crunchy guitars and rich harmonies. ****
2. (4:53) Like a Thief – Straight-ahead, driving rock and roll with virtuoso lead guitar work. Chorus harkens back to REM’s “Radio Free Europe.” ****
3. (4:00) Don’t Come Back Now – Throaty lead guitar work on a rock tune with a folk-rock flavor to the vocals. Lyrics about a relationship that ceased to work — “I’m alone, but I’m not lonely.”
4. (3:16) Butterfly Drinks – George Thorogood licks open song. Blues rock. Growling guitars. Handclaps. Nice bounce to the tune. **
5. (4:49) Brand New Sitting Still – More wistful while retaining the garage rock edge. Laid back, with a steady beat. Warm harmonies.
6. (2:37) Waiting for the Drums — 1960s-style song that favors the Kinks or the Hollies. Once again, very solid garage-y guitar work.
7. (3:15) Secret Ride – Mellow vibe. All the vocals are in harmony. A Badfinger throwback tune.
8. (3:14) Broad Daylight – Cover of the song by Free. Traditional rock. Sounds like those BIG guitar songs from the late 1970s. Well-done lead guitar solo. Song gets a little monotonous at times.
9. (3:44) Shook Down Softly – Very smooth and polished power pop. Great hooks. Chorus is reminiscent of 1970s guitar rock standards. ***
10. (6:25) Spin Your Stars – Like a classic Neil Young and the Crazy Horse song. Plodding beat. Syncopated guitar picking. Really cool Crazy Horse-type guitar towards end. Big Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young harmonies in the choruses. Strong finish. **
Local, guitar-driven rock and power pop. Really well done — with solid writing, great arrangements and excellent musicianship. Bradley Skaught is the band’s songwriter, lead vocalist and one of its guitarists. Originally from Washington State, he now makes his home in Oakland. All the songs feature accomplished guitar work and fluid bass lines, with the occasional jangle thrown in. Vocals are very strong with lots of harmonies. While the tunes are all original, some tracks pay homage to bands from the past such as Badfinger, REM, the Hollies or Kinks, Neil Young and Crazy Horse, or even the Beatles. Highly recommended!
— Francis
Recommended: 1, 2, 9, 4, 10 No FCCs detected.
1. (3:50) All in Light – Terrific rocking, stomping opener. Power pop anthem at its best with thumping drums, crunchy guitars and rich harmonies. ****
2. (4:53) Like a Thief – Straight-ahead, driving rock and roll with virtuoso lead guitar work. Chorus harkens back to REM’s “Radio Free Europe.” ****
3. (4:00) Don’t Come Back Now – Throaty lead guitar work on a rock tune with a folk-rock flavor to the vocals. Lyrics about a relationship that ceased to work — “I’m alone, but I’m not lonely.”
4. (3:16) Butterfly Drinks – George Thorogood licks open song. Blues rock. Growling guitars. Handclaps. Nice bounce to the tune. **
5. (4:49) Brand New Sitting Still – More wistful while retaining the garage rock edge. Laid back, with a steady beat. Warm harmonies.
6. (2:37) Waiting for the Drums — 1960s-style song that favors the Kinks or the Hollies. Once again, very solid garage-y guitar work.
7. (3:15) Secret Ride – Mellow vibe. All the vocals are in harmony. A Badfinger throwback tune.
8. (3:14) Broad Daylight – Cover of the song by Free. Traditional rock. Sounds like those BIG guitar songs from the late 1970s. Well-done lead guitar solo. Song gets a little monotonous at times.
9. (3:44) Shook Down Softly – Very smooth and polished power pop. Great hooks. Chorus is reminiscent of 1970s guitar rock standards. ***
10. (6:25) Spin Your Stars – Like a classic Neil Young and the Crazy Horse song. Plodding beat. Syncopated guitar picking. Really cool Crazy Horse-type guitar towards end. Big Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young harmonies in the choruses. Strong finish. **
Recent airplay
Like A Thief
KZSU Time Traveler — Feb 15, 2019
Butterfly Drinks
KZSU Time Traveler — Mar 16, 2018
Butterfly Drinks
Time Traveler — Aug 12, 2016
All In Light
Time Traveler (Top 34 of 2014) — Jan 09, 2015
All In Light
Time Traveler — Dec 05, 2014
Butterfly Drinks
Time Traveler — Oct 17, 2014
Charting
2014-05-02 — 2014-07-04
| Week Ending | Airplays |
|---|---|
| Jul 6 | 4 |
| Jun 29 | 2 |
| Jun 22 | 2 |
| Jun 15 | 1 |
| Jun 8 | 1 |
| Jun 1 | 3 |
| May 25 | 3 |
| May 18 | 1 |
Track listing
| 1. | All In Light | ||
| 2. | Like A Thief | ||
| 3. | Don't Come Back Now | ||
| 4. | Butterfly Drinks | ||
| 5. | Brand New Sitting Still | ||
| 6. | Waiting For The Drums | ||
| 7. | Secret Ride | ||
| 8. | Broad Daylight | ||
| 9. | Shook Down Softly | ||
| 10. | Spin Your Stars |