Frightened Rabbit

By sharing a label, producer and hometown with the Twilight Sad, Frightened Rabbit are setting themselves up for endless comparisons. And the similarities don’t end there either, because there’s also the obtuse lyrics delivered with a raw Scottish brogue and the fact that both bands delivered album of the year contenders with their sophomore releases. The Midnight Organ Fight, Frightened Rabbit’s second album, builds rather satisfyingly on their debut, dealing with most of the niggling issues that their first record had. It still has the ramshackle, folk-y feel that was present on the early Sons & Daughters records but the glossier production takes off just the right number of rough edges while leaving behind plenty of sharp points. The band manage to sound bigger than anyone would expect, considering the lack of bass, but the dual guitars and the driving percussion produce an exhilarating noise. The songs possess subtlety, knowing when to hold back and when to soar, but it is the lyrics that are the star of the show. Scott Hutchison’s views on life and relationships are filled with longing, bile, humour and the kind of bitterness that can be both awkward and incredibly compelling. So, the list of wonderful bands from Glasgow continues to expand, with Frightened Rabbit releasing one of the best albums of 2008 so far.