Frightened Rabbit are the missing link between The Smiths and The Wedding Present. It’s as easy as that. They’re a band that you can imagine John Peel championing week in, week out on his radio show, getting them in the studio and producing endless “Peel Sessions” regardless of how many records they sell. This is a “proper” re-issue of Sing The Greys, which was released in a sketchy demo form towards the end of last year before Fat Cat signed them and smoothed out some of the rough edges to leave you with a band that’s very easy to fall in love with.

From the startling intro of “The Greys” with its opening lyrics of “What’s the blues when you’ve got the greys” you’re transported to a time when songs and lyrics MATTERED. It might have plenty in common with Morrissey’s misery, but then I was one of the few who found The Smiths uplifting, and I find the same here. Everyone’s had an attack of “the greys” – when you just can’t get out of bed and can’t be bothered to do anything. Frightened Rabbit, though, bring you back from the brink and charge you back to life. Their jangling riffs and vocals itching with energy wake and shake you from this depressing mind set. “Music Now” is more accomplished with it’s chanted intro and contorting acoustic and electric guitars brandishing over thumping drums, the lyrics singing the virtues of the current music scene and people uniting for common causes, with a nice passing attack on the London-centric nature of the industry. It’s great, intelligent pop music, some of the riffs sounding like Idlewild before they became dull and bloated.

There are moments though where the pace wanes. The dull acoustic meander of “Behave!” which sounds as though they’re trying their hand at something a bit more heartfelt misses the mark, whilst the sub-Futureheads thrash of “Go-Go Gins” shows a lack of quality control. The instrumental interludes of “The First Incident”, “The Second Incident” and “The Final Incident” can only be viewed as filler and, on an album as short as this; it’s a bit of a waste.

However, the instant classic “Be Less Rude” and the adrenaline filled marvels of “Square 9” and “Yawn” bring this kicking and screaming back from the brink. With new tunes already written and the new album being recorded with the rather impressive producer Peter Katis, whose credits include Interpol’s first two albums and The National’s classic Boxer, the future looks increasingly bright. Perhaps something genuinely great can come from these British shores once again and the blues and greys will be a banished to the past.
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mp3:> Frightened Rabbit: “Music Now”
[From Sing The Greys; 19th Nov 2007 Fat Cat]

Links
Frightened Rabbit [official site] [myspace]