This came out in 2002 – or at least that’s when I got it. Here’s what I said about it back then (with some minor editing):
Q: Whaddaya get when you combine a bluesy slide guitar, a funky backbeat, a reggae bassline, vocals straight out of Sgt. Pepper, dub production and an electronica beatbox? A: One of the most striking songs I’ve heard lately — Come Out To Go, the spectacular, genre-busting centrepiece of Wide Mouth Mason’s fourth album Rained Out Parade.
That infectious four-minute slice of cultural cross-pollination may be the most eclectic track this talented trio have ever recorded. But it’s hardly out of place on this inspired and adventurous album. The 14-cut Rained Out Parade finds the Masons moving light-years beyond their Prairie blues-rock roots, augmenting their catchy melodies, soaring vocals, breakup-song lyrics and powerful performances with everything from futuristically cutting-edge production to earthy Indian tabla. Like Come Out To Go, a lot of the combinations shouldn’t work on paper — but they invariably (and usually inexpicably) do, confirming Rained Out Parade’s status as the most creative and distinctive disc of Wide Mouth Mason’s career. These boys deserve a parade.
