Artists / rainwater
Rainwater
Wave
Catalog Numbers: FH-085 / HD005
Release Date: July 21, 2023
Genre: Indie Pop / Folk Rock / Post-Easy-Listening
Radio Friendly: Yes
Type: EP
Purchase: Bandcamp
Links: Discogs Info | Spotify
pressing information
Digital: Worldwide
Cassette Tape: Furious Hooves & the Home Dome
1st Press (2023): 23
Details coming soon…
Tracklisting
1. Dream – 04:20
2. Wave – 03:13
3. Scroll – 03:17
4. Real – 03:10
5. Wednesday – 02:19
6. Fine – 03:07
7. Kindness – 1:58 [Cassette Only Bonus Track]
Total Run Time: 19:26 (21:24)
Side Split: A 1-4, B 5-7
Lyrics: Clean
Credits
All songs written, performed, and recorded by Blake Luley at the Home Dome (Seattle, WA)
except:
"Wave" music written by Blake Luley and Amy Godwin, lyrics by Blake Luley.
Vocals on "Wave" by Aviva Stampfer.
Bass on "Scroll" by Stephen Steen.
Drums on "Scroll" by James Kassinger.
Basic tracks on "Scroll" were recorded by Nicholas Wilbur at Unknown (Anacortes, WA).
Mastered by Nicholas Wilbur at Unknown (Anacortes, WA).
Cover Photography by Blake Luley somewhere in Northern Washington.
Design & Layout by Ryan McCardle.
Release Biography
“It’s hard not to think the world is ending.”
This is the opening line and perhaps mission statement of Rainwater’s new homespun pop EP, ‘Wave’. Blake Luley aka Rainwater sings this line softly and sweetly, as if it’s not an apocalyptic and devastating reality. ‘Wave’ was started in March 2020, at the same time as Rainwater’s last album ‘In-Between,’ and finished this last year (2022) as the dust from an isolating few years began to settle. Much like ‘In-Between’ this EP sharpens and digs deeper into the contrast of chill, breezy pop songwriting mixed with walls of shoegaze fuzz, blown out synth leads, distorted drum machines, and lyrics about alienation and anxiety in the modern age. ‘Wave’ is equally influenced by the open-hearted home recordings of Arthur Russell, Mount Eerie, the emotive and dancey grooves of new wave bands The Cure and New Order, and the ear worms of Fleetwood Mac and Yo La Tengo.
Album closer “Fine” simply states “sometimes I feel fine, sometimes I lose my goddamn mind.” What a fitting way to close this collection of somehow fun in spite of it all songs about the fear and anxiety of life in the modern age. Created in a basement with Luley performing nearly every instrument, ‘Wave’ is the work of a musician sharpening their craft for no purpose other than the joy of creating and processing the challenges of the past few years.
Press & Accolades
“Wave” included on “What Rules Wednesday #18” playlists from Small Albums Blog. (8/2023)
"Everything on EP opener “Dream” was recorded by Luley himself–a sleepy drum machine combines with guitars and synths that land somewhere between dream pop and indie folk, aided in no small part by Luley’s gentle vocals. “Dream” gets busier towards its ending, but it never stops evoking the surreal beauty its title suggests."
– Rosy Overdrive, review of “Dream” from ‘Wave’ EP.