Rewind three weeks ago – I’m at a Freelance Whales concert and two bands are opening: Pepper Rabbit and Miniature Tigers. My friend turns to me and asks why they all use animals in their names. Yes, it seems indie bands with animal names are all the rage right now. Or, at least that night it was. But this post isn’t about the bands I saw that night, but a band I discovered just a week ago – Frightened Rabbit. Had I discovered them earlier than that, they would have had a potential to break into the top 10.
Their album “The Winter of Mixed Drink” is happiness in my ears. The songs are fun, full, and loud. Hearing the opening track “Things”, which sounds like 4:26 long build-up to heightened musical bliss, you get a clue as to where Frightened Rabbit is going to take you on this album. They deliver. Their music is an interesting cross of Coldplay, Jonsi, and U2. Loud, Big sounds, with lots of Reverb. But somehow it still maintains that indie feel – it may be the lead singer, Selkik and the fact that he has a Scottish accent.
But it’s not all musicality with Frightened Rabbit, lyrics also matter too. The themes of each of their songs aren’t boring; It’s not your run-of-the-mill pop lyrics. Just hear the song “Living in Colour”. On first listen it’s just a catchy anthemic rock song – but really it’s an interesting imagery of having somebody fill your life full of color. Great song all around.
I forsee Frightened Rabbit making future lists on Collab High Five.
Favorite tracks off the album
Living In Colour by Frightened Rabbit