"Rainy Day Music" (2003) was stripped down and more acoustic. It was generally seen as a return to their alt-country roots. The band now consisted of founding members Louris and Perlman, along with drummer O'Reagan, and touring band member ex-Long Ryder Stephen McCarthy, from Richmond, VA. McCarthy added pedal steel, lap steel, banjo, guitar and backing vocals to the album and subsequent live shows. This lineup toured in 2003 and early 2004.