Following on from last year's reissue of Emergency Third Rail Power Trip, Rain Parade's second album is back in a superb new set. Crashing Dream, their Island Records debut from 1985, is here and it's loaded with bonus cuts, live tracks, and demos. A more fuller portrait of this group's second masterpiece can now emerge.
The lush "Depending on You" opens things. Supremely catchy, the cut begs the question, "How many folks threw this on a mix tape in 1985 next to current singles from R.E.M.?" "Don't Feel Bad", a chiming gem, sounds fantastic in this remastered form. A bright burst of energy, the organ-accented cut is a peak moment from when Paisley Underground rose to meet more mainstream audiences. The sound on this second Rain Parade was never as dense as that on their somewhat more acclaimed debut. And while Emergency Third Rail Power Trip is a masterpiece, Crashing Dream may be a neglected one in a way. The crunchy and ringing riffs of "Mystic Green" sound like contemporaries Wire Train to my ears now, and there's a lot here to love still. Numbers like this are more direct than earlier Rain Parade efforts, but no less memorable. And if you want to remind yourself of how many bands were inspired by this one, listen to "Sad Eyes Kill", a clear inspiration for the first seminal sides from The House of Love, Ride, and The Telescopes.
The many demos from the era paint a picture of what a different record Crashing Dream could have been. "My Dog's Last Dream" and "Tranquility Base", to use two examples, are far trippier than anything on the album proper. The band would have had to have sacrificed some of catchier, more direct numbers on Crashing Dream to make room for material like this. It's good to hear now though. Live runs at "Depending on You", Television's "Ain't That Nothing", and Cream's "Sunshine of Your Love" remind one of the power in the playing of Rain Parade in 1985, even as they skirted the edges of more mainstream college rock and beyond.
Crashing Dream remains a classic record. It only suffers criticism because of how great Emergency Third Rail Power Trip is. If any other band had debuted with this one, we'd still be talking about them. For that reason, and because in its remastered form it's never sounded better, this new 2025 Crashing Dream edition is very highly recommended.
Crashing Dream by Rain Parade is out now via Label 51 Recordings.
More details on Rain Parade via the official website.