Didn't It Rain (Hugh Laurie album)

Didn't It Rain
Studio album by
Hugh Laurie
Released6 August 2013 (2013-08-06)
Recorded7–12 and 28–30 January 2013
StudioOcean Way (Hollywood)
Genre
Length
  • 52:45
  • 56:26 (iTunes edition)
  • 71:05 (Amazon Special edition)
LabelWarner Bros./Rhino
ProducerJoe Henry
Hugh Laurie chronology
Let Them Talk
(2011) 		Didn't It Rain
(2013)
Singles from Didn't It Rain
  1. "Wild Honey"
    Released: 2013
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic63/100[1]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
BPM62%[3]
PopMatters7/10[4]

Didn't It Rain is the second studio album by English actor and musician Hugh Laurie.

Recorded in Ocean Way Studios in Los Angeles in January 2013,[5] the album contains several blues songs (like its predecessor, Let Them Talk). Unlike his previous album, however, Laurie also branches further into other Southern US and South American genres, including jazz, R&B, and tango.

Similarly to Let Them Talk, Laurie once again plays piano and guitar, and often provides vocals. Additionally, Laurie is joined by guest musicians Gaby Moreno, Jean McClain, and Taj Mahal, and is supported throughout by the Copper Bottom Band.[6]

Didn't It Rain was released in the UK on 6 May 2013, with iTunes providing pre-order and digital releases,[7] and Amazon providing vinyl prints and a special book edition.[8][9] As a promotion for a Huffington Post interview[10] regarding Laurie's album and upcoming tour, the album had a 24-hour free streaming period in several countries.[11] It was released in the United States on 6 August 2013.[12]

The miniature piano seen on the album artwork was given to Laurie on a 2009 episode of Friday Night with Jonathan Ross.[13]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."The St. Louis Blues"WC Handy4:21
2."Junkers Blues"William Jack Dupree2:55
3."Kiss of Fire"Lester Allen, Robert Hill (original by Arroyo y Villodo)3:27
4."Vicksburg Blues"Little Brother Montgomery4:28
5."The Weed Smoker's Dream"Joe McCoy4:17
6."Wild Honey"Robert Charles Guidry, Malcolm John Rebennack4:20
7."Send Me to the 'Lectric Chair"George Brooks5:26
8."Evenin'"Harry A. White, Mitchell Parish3:03
9."Didn't It Rain"Robert S.H. Martin, Traditional2:52
10."Careless Love"Martin E. Koenig, Spencer Williams5:21
11."One for My Baby"John H. Mercer, Harold Arlen4:00
12."I Hate a Man Like You"Joseph Ferdinand Morton4:17
13."Changes"Alan Price3:58
iTunes bonus track[7]
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
14."Unchain My Heart"Bobby Sharp, Teddy Powell3:41
Limited edition book pack disc 2[8]
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Day & Night"Rudy Stevenson3:07
2."Junco Partner"Robert Ellen4:21
3."Louisiana Blues"Muddy Waters3:24
4."Staggerlee"Lloyd Price, Harold Logan, Traditional3:47
5."Unchain My Heart"Bobby Sharp, Teddy Powell3:41

Personnel

  • Greg Leisz – acoustic guitar, electric guitar, lap steel guitar, dobro, mandola, mandolin
  • Patrick Warren – accordion, Hammond b-3 organ, pump organ, keyboards
  • Vincent Henry – vocals, harmonica, clarinet, bass clarinet, soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone
  • Jay Bellerose – drums, percussion
  • Larry Goldings – Hammond b-3 organ
  • Kevin Breit – acoustic guitar, electric guitar, lap steel guitar, tenor banjo, mandocello, mandola, mandolin, background vocals
  • Jean McClain – background vocals
  • Elizabeth Lea – trombone
  • David Plitch – upright bass, electric bass
  • Hugh Laurie – vocals, acoustic guitar, whistle, piano, Wurlitzer organ
  • Robby Marshall – clarinet, bass clarinet, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone
Also

Tour

Following the album's release, a promotional tour was set to span the UK and several countries starting on 31 May 2013.[14] The tour began in Belarus, and continued across mainland Europe. After covering five EU capitals, it toured several cities in the United Kingdom, before concluding back in mainland Europe.

Date City Country Venue
Mainland Europe
31 May 2013 Minsk Belarus Republic Palace
2 June 2013 Saint Petersburg Russia Oktyabrsky Grand Concert Hall
4 June 2013 Moscow Kremlin Palace
6 June 2013 Warsaw Poland Congress Hall
7 June 2013 Berlin Germany Admiralspalast
9 June 2013 Luxembourg City Luxembourg Den Atelier
10 June 2013 Amsterdam Netherlands Concertgebouw
11 June 2013 Brussels Belgium Cirque Royal
United Kingdom
13 June 2013 Bristol England Colston Hall
14 June 2013 London Hammersmith Apollo
15 June 2013 Oxford New Theatre Oxford
17 June 2013 Brighton Brighton Dome
18 June 2013 Birmingham Symphony Hall
20 June 2013 Manchester Apollo Manchester
22 June 2013 Edinburgh Scotland Edinburgh Playhouse
23 June 2013 Gateshead England The Sage
Mainland Europe
9 July 2013 Paris France Le Grand Rex
12 July 2013 Bucharest Romania Sala Palatului
14 July 2013 Zurich Switzerland Live At Sunset
15 July 2013 Bologna Italy Teatro Auditorium Manzoni
18 July 2013 Arles France Theatre Antique d’Arles
23 July 2013 Vienna Austria Konzerthaus
24 July 2013 Ljubljana Slovenia Križanke
26 July 2013 Prague Czech Republic Congress Hall
27 July 2013

Charts and certifications

References

  1. ^ "Didn't It Rain Reviews". Metacritic.com. Retrieved 8 August 2013.
  2. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Didn't It Rain – Hugh Laurie". AllMusic. Retrieved 8 August 2013.
  3. ^ Finlayson, Ray (10 May 2013). "Album Review". BeatsPerMinute.com. Retrieved 8 August 2013.
  4. ^ McGuire, Colin (6 August 2013). "Hugh Laurie: Didn't It Rain". PopMatters.com. Retrieved 8 August 2013.
  5. ^ Hugh Laurie Blues - The official Site About Page, as reflected in the Internet Archive, retrieved June 10, 2018
  6. ^ The Copper Bottom Band consists of Jay Bellerose, Kevin Breit, Vincent Henry, Greg Leisz, Robby Marshall, David Piltch Archived 4 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine and Patrick Warren, with Elizabeth Lea and Larry Goldings playing additional instruments.
  7. ^ a b "Didn't It Rain". itunes.apple.com. Archived from the original on 24 February 2014. Retrieved 29 April 2013.
  8. ^ a b "Amazon UK Special Edition". amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 11 May 2013.
  9. ^ "Amazon UK Vinyl Edition". amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 11 May 2013.
  10. ^ "Didn't It Rain Interview". huffingtonpost.co.uk. Retrieved 29 April 2013.
  11. ^ The album was available in Australia, Belgium, Argentina, Hungary, South Africa, Slovakia, Ireland, Spain, Bulgaria and the UK.
  12. ^ "iTunes - Music - Didn't It Rain (Deluxe) by Hugh Laurie". Itunes.apple.com. 29 April 2013. Retrieved 24 November 2013.
  13. ^ "Hugh Laurie on Jonathan Ross Part 2/2". YouTube. 6 June 2009. Retrieved 24 November 2013.
  14. ^ Hugh Laurie's Blues - the official Site back Tour listings, as reflected in the Internet Archive, retrieved on April 28, 2018
  15. ^ "Australiancharts.com – Hugh Laurie – Didn't It Rain". Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 May 2021.
  16. ^ "Austriancharts.at – Hugh Laurie – Didn't It Rain" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 May 2021.
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  19. ^ "Hugh Laurie Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 1 May 2021.
  20. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Hugh Laurie – Didn't It Rain" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 May 2021.
  21. ^ "Hugh Laurie: Didn't It Rain" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 1 May 2021.
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  33. ^ "Hugh Laurie Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 1 May 2021.
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  35. ^ "Jaaroverzichten 2013". Ultratop. Retrieved 1 May 2021.
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  40. ^ "SINGLES OR 2013 - 150 000 exemplaires vendus" (PDF). Proxy.siteo.com. Retrieved 29 July 2016.