Frightened Rabbit - Pedestrian Verse
- Written by Emily Liddle
Frightened Rabbit have once again managed to create a unique artifact with their new studio album, Pedestrian Verse, amply rewarding their faithful fans for patiently waiting three years since 2010's The Winter of Mixed Drinks . The melodic yet exhilarating guitar riffs which accompany the deep, soothing lyrics of lead vocalist Scott Hutchinson, make for every new release being an expansion of the folk-pop style in which they first started out.
From the first track, ‘Acts of Men’, we are enticed with intriguing piano chords and that welcoming, familiar voice. “I am that dickhead in the kitchen/giving wine to your best girl's glass”, the opening words of the album capture a heavier, folk-rock sound and encapsulate the strong national pride of the Scottish trio.
The compositional style oozes bassy grittiness, breaking free of traditional indie realms and moving further into the rock genre. With heavy, fuzzy guitar tones and powerfully paced drums set amid simple melodies and cleverly intricate lyrics. One of the highlights of Pedestrian Verse is that the witty yet thoughtful song writing has returned, one of their most charming characteristics missing to a degree since their second album, The Midnight Organ Fight.
Having been known to intertwine heftier issues such as life, death, the spirit world and freedom into their music, from the song titles alone this is conveyed. ‘Backyard Skulls’, the album's second track sounds like a fusion of funeral organ with disco elements; we hear funky riffs and spacey sounds bringing a new edge to the indie-rock sound. They possess the classic essence of The National and the hipness of Two Door Cinema Club. ‘Holy’ stands out with its simplistic yet magnificent guitar solos echoing that of Joy Division. ‘Dead Now’ ironically takes a more upbeat turn, returning to their folky roots and dance-along rhythms. ‘Nitrous Gas’ takes a depressing turn in true Frightened Rabbit style, gloomy but compelling - Hutchinson knows how to move and impress their loyal following and newcomers alike.
While they somehow manage to incorporate a grand and epic feel into each track, it's not overpowering but modest, rough and raring to go. There is definitely no slotting Frightened Rabbit into the generic indie category. By no means are they about to take the world by storm, but to continue to excel in such a fashion four albums in is an astounding achievement for any band.
Pedestrian Verse is out now and available from amazon