Crashing Dream (Deluxe)

The group's final album and its first for a major label was no way to end a career that started out so promising, but it did deliver in some areas. Vocalist/guitarist David Roback had left the band -- as had drummer Eddie Kalwa, leaving out some core elements that had managed to gel together so well on previous outings. Ultimately, the murky, psychedelic waters of previous releases had become elusive. Upon the first listen, the major flaw that you hear is the increase in production that results in waves of synthesizer accents that do little to add to the flavor of the group. The track "Depending on You" is certainly blessed with some strong guitar leads, but is marred by the shiny blasts of synthetics. Rain Parade's greatness arose out of excellent songs and guitar work, but also out of an adherence to a timeless sound. Modern embellishments did not suit them well. "Don't Feel Bad" is perhaps the biggest victim of this. The song is great with drums spiraling backwards, guitars fluttering up and down, the bass backtracking while still sounding nimble and flexible as the harmonies float -- but the stabs of synth and drum treatments turn the song into a relic of the time. The slower moments of the record work their charm. "My Secret Country" is a nice balance of acoustic guitars and harmonies but is ultimately muddied by an ending that creeps up too soon. It's "Fertile Crescent" that is probably the most perfectly realized song on the album, with its guitar jangle and a perfect harmony of build-up and release. "Only Business" also works well with its stripped-down and slightly broken approach that uses restraint in a way that could have suited a number of the other tracks on the album. It's an unfortunate ending (not unfortunately uncommon, either) that sees the group's final official release marred by a major label's input, distorting what should have been Rain Parade's greatest statement. ~ Jon Pruett