The Something Rain

Nottingham, England's Tindersticks are among the most musically adventurous groups to have surfaced over the past few decades. Their previous releases were soundtracks for French film director Claire Denis, and a cinematic sweep has always informed their music. Here, the opening nine-minute spoken-word piece "Chocolate” features David Boulter recounting a date while a strategically placed Mellotron obscures the tale. Through the remainder of the songs, singer Stuart Staples throws his vibrato-laced baritone on top of tunes deep with drama and melancholy. All told, The Something Rain is another unique contribution from a group that's always put a premium on being one of a kind. Yet for all the band's grandeur, Staples believes in cultivating his working-class stripes. There are dead-end jobs, endless nights on the same barstool, and an apartment that doesn't inspire. Set to rapturous arrangements where strings, brass, and woodwinds color the detailed sound, Staples finds the key to a better life on tracks such as the sultry and soulful "Show Me Everything," the chillingly placid "A Night So Still," and the orchestrated "Medicine."