popfreeradio.com

    While trolling the internet for musical seed I came across a message board post about the Scottish group Frightened Rabbit.  Their name might be slightly cringeworthy, but their album is nothing short of amazing.  They sound like some sort of a cross between the Shins’ quirky, naïve indie rock and a similarly melodic but less dour version of the National.  “The Midnight Organ Fight” is their second major release,  more than anything it highlight’s singer/songwriter Scott Hutchinson’s self deprecating but hopeful lyrics and punctual melodies. 

    Each track crackles with a confessional introspection and endearing narcissism brought home with layered guitar tracks, aggressive drumming and the occasional organ sound present in the album’s title (although the organ in question from the title seems to be a much different one).  The first single “Head Rolls Off” is an indie power ballad that ruminates on the importance of Jesus, the human soul and the existence of heaven.  This is heavy stuff but don’t be mistaken, it goes down easy with a spoonful of pop-rock sugar.      The opening track “The Modern Leper” could be described as a sort of manifesto for the album, as it introduces a simple folk lick that blossoms into epic pop grandeur, punctuated by rolling drum fills and layered background vocals.  When singer Scott Hutchinson exclaims “You must be a masochist/ To love a modern leper on his last leg”, its painfully obvious he’s speaking of himself and his own circumstances.  The album is filled with this sort of self recrimination, making the leader of the group seem both browbeaten and insightful.  Don’t get me wrong, this sort of confessional folk pop has been done before, but there’s a modern rock sheen glossed over the entire album that seems to make it shine where others have failed.  Fans of Wilco may appreciate these guys. 

    Other tracks like “Good Arms vs. Bad Arms” and “Old Old Fashioned” hop with the feel of a traditional Scottish tune, while being carried along by expansive guitar work and crisp production.  There in lies the beauty of this band and their newest album; finding some sort of a happy medium between older acoustic based music and indie rock lends itself well to repeated listens.  Nothing ever sounds tired or under wrought.  While the vocals are occasionally quirky and jarring, the lyrics are inspired and original.  As Michael Scott has stated, sometimes weaknesses are strengths (or vice versa in this case) so listeners maybe turned off by the conviction and approach of the lyrics which could strike some as preachy.  But when these Glaswegians (yes that is a word) ask “If I get old old fashioned, would you get old old fashioned with me?” this writer can’t resist.