Pure Bathing Culture
Pray for Rain
PARTISAN
6/10
Light and airy as a summer day in the Pacific Northwest, Pray for Rain—the new album from Portland, Oregon–based duo Pure Bathing Culture—is a calming dose of indie pop that follows in the vein of female-fronted outfits of the ’90s like The Cranberries, albeit without any of the shouting that Dolores O’Riordan is known for. Primarily guitar-based (oh-so-shimmery they are), the songs on Rain float along with head-bopping simplicity over which Sarah Versprille’s clear, soothing voice coos. Album opener “The Tower” and the title track both add minor tones that echo breezy trip-hop, but for the most part, sweetness—verging on the saccharine—is what’s to be found here. Very well produced and expertly performed, Pray for Rain does its best to entertain without offending—or leaving much of a lasting impression.
