Rainy Day Music (Expanded Edition)

After the orchestrated pop of the Bob Ezrin–produced Smile, The Jayhawks were determined to return to their alt.country roots. With naturalistic producer Ethan Johns and executive producer Rick Rubin lending expertise, Rainy Day Music is the most Jayhawks-like album in quite some time. Pop songwriter Matthew Sweet cowrote the excellent “Stumbling in the Dark” and added harmonies to “Tailspin,” “All the Right Reasons,” and “The Eyes of Sarahjane.” Leader Gary Louris stepped up with several of his best songs, including the aforementioned tunes and the title track. Drummer Tim O’Reagan contributed “Don’t Let the World Get in Your Way” and “Tampa to Tulsa.” Bassist Marc Perlman added “Will I See You in Heaven.” The addition of multi-instrumentalist Stephen McCarthy on guitar, pedal steel, banjo, lap steel, and vocals further ensured a countrified sound. This 2014 reissue includes six previously unreleased tracks, including demos of “Tailspin,” "Waiting for Salvation,” “The Book You Wrote,” “False Eyelashes (Blue Eyed Soul),” and “Won’t Last Long,” plus a live version of “In the Canyon.”