In March of 2021, ten different artists and bands around the greater Seattle area recorded something truly special. Presented by The Reef, along with the Seattle World Tour Foundation, Weedmaps, and PAX™, the Rain City Relief vinyl compilation was created with the sole intention of financially helping and emotionally supporting the abundance of artistic expression around Seattle.
As the needle drops on the vinyl, it feels as though a curtain is pulling back to reveal a dimly lit stage. Ariana Deboo opens the record like the slow swaying flame of a candle with her soulful and jazzy song, “Light.” In a stark contrast, The Black Tones follow that with a truly infectious rock ‘n roll jam titled, “Ghetto Spaceship.” Later on, Chong the Nomad finishes out the first side by sitting behind the piano for the stripped-down version of her song, “Undervelvet.” Which, quite frankly, blew my mind when compared to the original.
Ariana Deboo and Band Performing “Light” for Rain City Relief
Overall, the quality of this vinyl is impressive in all facets; from the compositions to the lyrics, and the vocal and instrumental playing abilities. Even all the way down to the final and pressed mix, it’s all impeccable. You feel as though you are right there in the room with them. At the end of side A, I had one of those reflective moments trying to process what I had just listened to. To sum it up, I was emotionally SHOOK.
Sometimes compilations can feel like, well, compilations. The songs don’t blend, and it just sounds like a hodgepodge of different noises, making it hard to listen to from start to finish. You would think that Beverly Crusher’s “Don’t Scream” would be a jarring intermission between Chong the Nomad and Perry Porter. However, it’s actually a welcomed breath of fresh air. What the Rain City Relief vinyl compilation achieved is a testament to the strength of the artists in our region.
Beverly Crusher Performing “Don’t Scream” for Rain City Relief
From beginning to end, this compilation takes you on a journey with a different vibe at every turn. As the vinyl rotates, so do the genres. The track sequence balances the energies out but also manages to tie matching themes together from song to song. Even though each track is unique, you can hear common inspirational elements throughout. That kind of unsuspecting cohesion can only come from being in the vicinity of different kinds of artists who all share their perspectives with their community.
The passion in these artists’ deliveries all sit on the same wavelength. To me, there’s no one stand-out performance as they are all incredible for their own reasons. On their song, “Nikola,” High Pulp makes their instruments sing just as beautifully as Shaina Shepherd’s voice rings out on her track, “Lover.” Perry Porter’s rhymes flow just as hard during his trilogy of verses on his track, “Tempo, Custom, Dream Flower,” as the coursing lyrics throughout Parisalexa’s emotional ballad, “Water Me.” The Smokey Brights recorded the powerful call-to-action song, “Save Us Sarah,” that spreads just as powerful of a message as All Star Opera’s, “A World Away.”
Shaina Shepherd Performing “Lover” for Rain City Relief
ASO closes out the record. They leave us with the parting words, “Need to learn to let go, remember to let go.” Which, I think, is a beautiful message for the Rain City Relief vinyl to end on. It serves as a reminder to let go of the pain and suffering that we’ve endured throughout this pandemic. As well as, a reminder to let go of the weight of the daily sacrifices made in order to pursue your dreams as an artist in the first place. Progress cannot be made when dwelling in the negative.
Things can always get better. The Rain City Relief vinyl compilation aims to make a positive impact on our community in more ways than one. You can help make an impact by ordering your limited-edition copy today. A majority of the proceeds will go directly to the artists involved. Then, a portion of the proceeds will go to a permanent artist relief fund set up by the Seattle World Tour Foundation.
A big thank you to the Reef, Weedmaps, and PAX™ for helping bring this project to life. None of these artists would have been able to share their voices or their stories with us without the supporting help of the community.
