Here in the newly arrived year of our Lord-help-us-all 2024 you’d be forgiven for taking “making it rain” to mean spraying bills of whatever denomination as a display of material abundance and unambiguous desire cuz that’s the default meaning that reigns on the pop chart but in Chatterbox’s “It’s Raining” the only bills are bills coming due owed by a dithering love interest whose evasiveness or just plain game-playing gamesmanship making it rain figurative tears of pain and/or rage in our narrator’s heart and head as they contemplate “should I stay or should I blow this popsicle stand” or at least that’s how we’re hearing it…
…which is an age-old conundrum and a common lyrical theme to be sure but hey what isn’t and what makes it engaging here is how Chatterbox gives as good as they get with a melodically engaging, through-composed song (none of this boring ol’ verse-chorus bizness!) complete with tongue-twisting scattus interruptus lyrics that seem to mimic or even mock the head-lost-in-the-clouds, constant-changing-of-heart insouciance of the song’s addressee (“I got sick of all the games / I convinced myself to play”) right from the opening moments of its swirly, wind-chime-tinkling intro which sounds like slowly waking up from a wet dream (a dream about precipitation you perverts!) which despite the vibey vibe isn’t above poking a little fun at the subject’s expense with lines like…
How’s the sun feelin’ baby?
Can I still call you “baby”?
Do-do-dah, ba-da, da-dee-dee-dah
Do-do-dah, ba-da, da-dee-dee-dah
It’s raining in my chest again
[…]
How the son feelin’ baby?
While your mom’s still calling you “baby”?
…lines sung by Chatterbox’s Scorpio-identifying singer, Erika aka THE BOSS, who doesn’t skimp on the clever, cutting wordplay as witnessed above, shifting between sun/son and multiple meanings of baby, while calling out the song’s love dis-interest with a culminating “yo momma” dig and while, like the overwhelming majority of lead vocalists, Erika is said to be consistently 30 minutes late to band practices and fails to help load in equipment before shows then again she actually books most of the combo’s live gigs (source: the Chatterbox Facebook page!) while being admired for a combo of take-no-prisoners attitude and openness to vulnerability as heard via their Amy Winehouse meets Sara Bareilles soulful vocal delivery tho’ not above the occasional Olivia Rodrigo cover version either…
…more than capably supported by bandmate and just plain “mate” Madi on guitar—praised on the band’s social media for “catchy riffs, mean jokes, and pickleback enthusiasm”—while grounding Erika’s vocal perambulations with etherial sustained chords on “It’s Raining” that hang in the air like sweet perfume or like little puffy clouds threatening rain with jazzy chordal voicings and chorus pedal, I presume, both of whom being equally capably supported by band/mate Alice on bass guitar whose agile walking bass lines are more like strutting bass lines—praised for “sick dance moves, [a] goofy laugh, and fire bass lines”—and finally by the solid rhythmic foundation supplied by Chatterbox’s drummer “Manny da man” complete with nimble tumbling drum fills that build in intensity throughout…
…so why not go ahead and stream “It’s Raining” this weekend when it’s actually likely to be raining or maybe even snowing but hey who’re we kidding it’s never gonna snow in NYC again which makes us wanna cry in our heart and in our head but at least it’ll make it easier getting to Arlene’s Grocery come Sunday 1/7 when Chatterbox will celebrate the new single’s release as supported by Nancy Whitaker, Little Slugger, and War Violet (solo) presented by friend-of-the-Deli sister-blog Bands Do BK (have you read Sam Sumpta’s book yet…well HAVE YOU?!?)…
…and if we may suggest another quality local band for Chatterbox to play with in the future we think they’d be perfectly matched with also-friends-of-the-Deli Monarch on a bill and finally we’ll end by suggesting that one check out Chatterbox’s similarly discursive story-song “The Fire” (their previous single) or go back a couple years to “WYGD” which stands for “What’re You Gonna Do?” and stands as the band’s most rockin’ moment on record thus far and then watch out for their rumored new music video coming soon and in conclusion do-do-dah, ba-da, da-dee-dee-dah…
