Driving Rain

[The Big Guy]

Released in 2001.

[Kylenz]

Like Flaming Pie and Off The Ground, this album failed to resonate with me first time around. A combination of holding Beatles and Wings music in such high regard, and being more into heavier rock and alternative bands rather than the road Paul was going down. After Driving Rain, Paul worked with Nigel Godrich, famous for producing Radiohead and Beck, and Godrich's influence was probably a huge catalyst for me loving his next album - Chaos and Creation.

But Driving Rain for me, was just too 'safe'. Well, apart from the rip-snorter of an ending - Rinse The Raindrops - wow that's a knockout / workout of a song. I realised the ballads were about coming to terms with the loss of Linda and finding new love, but musically, nothing really stood out. The only songs that spun my wheels were the rockers - About You, Lonely Road, and Rinse. Wasn't too keen on the 1-2-3-4-5 let's go for a drive either. Tiny Bubble felt so neutered and middle ground. Heather was a grand, but brief tune. A bit like their marriage!

I like the album more now. I think Chaos and Memory are both much stronger albums, but that's probably due to their more adventurous spirit, throwing back to the 'old times'. I still skip a few of the tracks (Jaipur, Spinning on an Axis) but overall it's a reasonable album.

[mervap]

It's strange...this one still puzzles me. There are some good songs on here....the production is good....there is some experimentation going on....and still I don't care for this one. For the majority of this album, Macca sounds like a guest on someone else's CD.

High points include the experimental "She's Given Up Talking", the wonderfully melodic "Heather" and the scruffy "Lonely Road"....the rest seems kind of.....ok.

A noteable exception is the obviously jammed "Rinse the Raindrops"....The middle section where Abe goes to the 16-beat style (at 2:43), the song really takes wing....that said, it's still just a jam, but a fun one all the same.

[mervap]

Wow, it's hard to believe it has been 2 years almost since I posted a terse review for this CD...my opinion has mellowed a little bit, but I have to admit that I thought this album was a wrong direction for Macca and I thought he would keep going down this road. My first listen made me kinda sad...as I was litening to "Your Loving Flame", which I felt was a great ballad in the Macca mold, I got to the first guitar solo. I should mention that songs create pictures in my head, which I'm sure they do for all of us, and this solo painted a sunset, with clouds near the horizon. As the sun was hidden temporarily behind the clouds, it got dark....then, as the sun hit the horizon, I was bathed in bright and warm sunshine one more time before the curve of the earth made it night again. I thought this CD was the beginning of the night for Macca. As it turned out, I was happily mistaken and his next two CDs were much better. Maybe in another two year's time, I will finally 'get' this one....

[Borris]

I haven't listened to this album much but like the other posters here it hasn't done much for me, my impression was Paul was trying to be something he wasn't. Do like Chaos and memory & Ecce Cor Meum but I too wouldn't be surprised if it does reveal itself to me in the future.