Frightened
Rabbit are an unconventional three-piece specialising in a raw
yet melodic brand of indie-pop undertaken with a fervent garage
rock aesthetic. Originally formed by vocalist Scott Hutchinson
as a solo project, Frightened Rabbit bolstered its ranks with
Scott’s brother, Grant (Drums, vocals) and Billy Kennedy
(vocals, guitar). After sending a demo in to Fat Cat (Sigur Ros,
Mum, Set Fire to Flames), 3 tracks appeared on Fat Cat’s
innovative demo page to much acclaim. ‘Sing the Greys’
was originally released last year in an ultra-limited quantity,
yet this plush re-release by Fat Cat not only cements the fact
that ‘Frightened Rabbit’ are going places, but also
adds remastering and a live bonus track.
‘Sing
the Greys’ consists of 12 tracks and clocks in at a comparatively
short 34 minutes. The band announce their arrival with a bang
thanks to the stomping opener, ‘The Greys’ which is
a haunting and powerful lament centering on a rousing cluster
of perpetual riffage and tight, busy percussion. ‘Music
Now’ is another stand out track, starting off with a skeletal
and angular post-punk rouse before moving gorgeously into a fully
fledged, melodic slice of dynamic indiepop bliss which recalls
modern-era Idlewild at their best. Frightened Rabbit slow down
proceedings with the throbbingly warm Christmas-time indie-ballad
‘Yawn’ which grows in stature towards the end and
serves as a perfect intro into the effervescent and crashing dynamics
of ’Be Less Rude’. On this track the three-piece work
together with complete synergy and the time spent honing their
sound over the course of last year has fully paid off. Elsewhere
listeners are greeted with the military-esque, angular percussion/fret
work of ‘Go Go Girls’, an accomplished track which
is teaming with life thanks to the captivating range of the vocals.
‘Square 9’ is soaring piece built on a churning backdrop
of guitar and percussion, and brought to life with a bouncy pop-punk
melodic riff which acts as the centerpiece and accentuates the
vocals. The closer ‘Snake’ is a brooding yet jangly
slice of Americana complimented wonderfully by accented English
vocals. As a bonus, the album features a live version of ‘The
Greys’ which sees the threepiece inject a keen sense of
urgency and DIY rawness in to the mix. On this proof, one is tempted
to catch ‘Frightened Rabbit’ live. On this album,
the band has taken the unconventional decision to forego a bassist
and this decision has not backfire, because, instead of detracting
from the sound, its adds to the garage-rock aesthetic, whilst
Alan Douches remastering creates a full bodied sound stripped
of any grating whiney-ness.
Overall, ‘Sing
the Greys’ is a brief yet ‘no-nonsense’ album
bristling with life. The three-piece demonstrate their ability
to create raw, energetic and angular pieces which are throbbing
with energy, yet not robbed of melody. Furthermore, the unique
vocal delivery gives a real sense of intimacy to the album and
contributes to a fully honed package. (RM)
For
fans of: Idlewild, Of Montreal, Arctic Monkeys, Sebadoh, The Autumns
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