James Arden checks out the garage rockers latest album.
The Christian rock band from Brighton bring religion to the masses.
Recipe for modern R'n'B album: liberal helpings of guest rappers and an overdose of sexual euphemisms.
The last time I saw Frightened Rabbit was in the acoustic hellhole that is The Duchess, the first gig touring their latest album, The Winter of Mixed Drinks. The songs were unsure and scratchy, a few having to be repeated and the crowd had the mood and consistency of wet cardboard. Not so here. A very boisterous Leeds crowd sang aloud to every song. Though it didn’t quite approach the level of dedication that they have in Scotland, where they have become something of an icon, but enough so I didn’t mind yelling out the lyrics myself in my best hoover impression.
Frightened Rabbit are a band that has been going places. Recently signed to a major label, their most recent songs speak of a band breaking out of scuzzy indie confines to major stadium stardom. Their latest songs do have the hint of something greater – louder more power instrumentation build up to a cathartic release, very Arcade Fire – though nothing from this album matches the poignancy and emotion of 'Keep Yourself Warm' off their second album, The Midnight Organ Fight. All the songs are still united by the beautiful lyrics and vocals of lead singer, Scott Hutchinson. In his best Scottish brogue he captures heartbreak and hope in a way that has all the girls breathless and all the boys doing their best Braveheart impression for a few hours after the gig.
The setlist was tightly composed, with the singers exchanging banter when provoked by the crowd but for the most part letting their songs doing their talking for them. And they did so spectacularly; the added instrumentation on 'My Backwards Walk' complemented the song perfectly, and the huge drumming on new song 'The Wrestle' sounds destined for bigger arenas. A pleasant surprise was a reworking of the song 'Good Arms vs. Bad Arms' from the second album. No longer an electric, bluegrass song, it was transformed into a acoustic singalong, the vocals standing by themselves showing much more of their stark beauty than when they were smothered under staccato guitar. For me the standout track of the night was 'Poke', another beautiful acoustic song with lyrics that manage to say the most offensive word in the English language with nary a glitch. Trust me, if you are not moved when he says “Should look through some old photos/ I adored you in every one of those” you have no heart at all. Overall an amazing performance from a band that is clearly going places.
You must log in to submit a comment.
