Sing the Greys

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

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