Frightened Rabbit: The Midnight Organ Fight

Label: Fat Cat

I was ready to declare Frightened Rabbit’s The Midnight Organ Fight one of the freshest and most exciting debuts I’ve heard this year, until I discovered that this is actually their second album. How could a band this good remain a secret? The consensus seems to be that their first album, from two years ago, was a bit inconsistent and never quite found an audience. Their fate should now change very quickly. Now with the stellar indie label Fat Cat, this Scottish trio have delivered a warm, soulful and powerful record that only grows more endearing with repeated listenings. (I’ve been listening to it at least twice a day for two weeks.) The opener, “The Modern Leper,” is one of the year’s outstanding tracks, a slow, building anthem filled with anguished lyrics. Indeed, frontman Scott Hutchison’s dark, lyrical songwriting gives the record a unique voice, with his brother Grant’s creative drumming adding a driving force. And despite the band’s spare lineup, The Midnight Organ Fight has great range and a real depth in sound, with plaintive ballads mixed in with moments of countryish twang and a few midtempo stompers. Highly recommended. (James)