Frightened Rabbit is a band from Scotland formed in 2003. Initially, it was a solo project of Scott Hutchison until it turned to band comprising of five guys. Their first album, Sing The Greys, was released in 2007, while their fifth album Painting Of A Panic Attack recently dropped out.
Throughout their discography, the band keeps recognizable sound and avoid experimentation. They are one of the rare birds that did not succumb to the omnipresent pressure to play with electronic or pop. Frightened Rabbit plays indie rock with elements of folk, with dominating guitars and the sound that is closely related to The National. It comes as no surprise that the producer of this record is Aaron Dessner.
Trivia: Hutchison’s breakups or existential crisis often coincide with the album releases. This time, that is not the case. Hutchison believes that is the reason why Painting Of A Panic Attack is their best record yet. His writing is matured. Growing up with anxiety, depression, breakups, loneliness is converged into a story about introspection and expression. Lyrics are simple, but never hackneyed. Hutchison manages to present themes in relatable manner. Although the sound is melancholic, it has a nerve.
The album serves as a herald of a direction the band wants to take in the future. The production is magnificent because Dessner succeeded to extract the best from the band, although sometimes you can not tell whether you are listening to The National or Frightened Rabbit.
The opening track Death Dream is an obscure, macabre track that misleads you to think this is how the rest of the album is going to sound. As the minutes go, the album becomes more intense and the lyrics get more raw. Little Drum is a crossroad between easier and hardcore tracks, while Break is the climax. In the very middle is Still Want To Be Here, a personal favorite, representing the mere essence of the band. It shows that band is staying true to their sound, even though they have stepped up their game with the production. It is as though Frightened Rabbit are reinterpreting themselves. An Otherwise Disappointing Life is a corpus delicti for my previous statement.
Painting of A Panic Attack is the most mature release of a band who defies to change their essence. The production might give them a new outlook, but the indie rock matrix is Frightened Rabbit’s forte.
