Some Things Never Change (2000)
Chris Titchner and Sunday Rain Dog

Track List • Breakdown • Bad Dog • My Town • What About You? • Smile • Nothing Wrong • Waltzing Away • Chasing You Around • Enfield, NH • Soon • Suicide King

          Burlington singer/songwriter Chris Titchner and cellist Ana Jesse, better known as Sunday Rain Dog, return with their second release from Bridgefolk Records, Some Things Never Change. This sophomore album, like their 1998 self-titled debut, features the sweet blend of Titchner's clear tenor voice and guitar and Jesse's sonorous cello. Some Things is characteristic Sunday Rain Dog in that catchy melodies, intelligent, thoughtful lyrics, and sensitive, moving cello lines are at its musical core. However, the album shows incredible growth in both lyrical content and musical composition from their 1998 effort due to its more varied and mature subject matter and the addition of elegant multi-instrument arrangements. Titchner still draws on relationships as the primary inspiration for his songs, but now focuses more on the intricacies of interaction rather than the trappings of romance. Besides relationships, Some Things also touches on such diverse topics as domestic violence, small town life, and ill-behaved pets. In a departure from the endearingly simple instrumentation of their eponymous debut, Sunday Rain Dog teamed up with guitarists Lyle King and Aaron Giroux, singer Emily Day, and percussionist Adam Rabin for Some Things. The result is a richer, more textured sound that compliments the multiple layers of meaning in the lyrics and showcases Titchner's and Jesse's talent and charisma.

          Although in the past Sunday Rain Dog could have been classified as contemporary folk, Some Things' variety of upbeat acoustic rock and intimate folk launches the band to multi-genre status. The bold changes in style executed in this, their sophomore release, not only tell of their tremendous musical confidence and progress, but also make for a wickedly appealing album.