Premiere: Let Neal Francis’ torrential “Can’t Stop the Rain” shake your late summer malaise

If you’ve been feeling bogged down by newsfeeds and heat waves, Chicago soul rock maestro Neal Francis is here with a proverbial splash of cold water to shake you from your late summer malaise.

The track is filled with the slinking Dr. John-style guitars and boogie woogie piano that have made Francis a KCRW favorite, but hits with an unapologetically joyful, electric feel that makes for just the jolt to the system we needed.

“I think I wrote it as an assurance to myself that no matter what challenge comes my way in life, it’s going to be okay,” Francis tells KCRW. “Initially, I wrote it with my friend David Shaw about a breakup that I had in October of 2019, but it sort of took on a new meaning in context of the pandemic. I’m hoping everybody can relate to the themes here and just enjoys the groove.”

Listen to the world premiere of Neal Francis’ “Can’t Stop the Rain” in the audio player to your left, and check out his killer Morning Becomes Eclectic set here.