Brooklyn six piece White Rabbits is not exactly a secret to anyone who’ll be reading this post today, so I’ll spare the 500 word biographical sketch of the band, influences, and other hodgepodge for today. Let’s face it, it’s Memorial Day weekend and we’ve put up our Lazy Saturday post today already. Sue us. It’s Frightening is the sophomore effort coming off the heels of the hugely successful 2007 White Rabbits debut, and although the band was recently featured on Letterman, they probably deserve a whole heck of a lot more hype than they’ve garnered to this point. The album is a blistering percussion stomp filled with a healthy dose of large pop grandeur and edgy coolness.
I’m not sure if I’m accurate here, but I believe my third grade music teacher taught me that the piano is in the percussion family. Is this accurate? At any rate, the first thing that jumps out of this record is it’s percussion work. White Rabbits employs two drummers and as “Percussion Gun” pounds to its close, you feel as though you’ve just been beaten on for three minutes. The dual drumming pops off like a machine gun assault and rides a warbly vocal delivery and big chorus that makes that track catchy as hell. Significantly, White Rabbits begins with a haymaker and, as with the rest of the record, the pulsing drums are wicked good.
All ten tracks kind of forge a similar path, but definitely in a positive way. ”Rudie Fails” and “Lionesse” are two noteworthy tracks in the first half of the album. The former features the double-percussion pounds and is all centered around a piano arrangement. Hefty screaming vocals and edgy largeness is all balled into a crisp and well-produced track. This isn’t to claim that the album is over-produced, but the band definitely had all resources at their disposal with the creation of the record. “Lionesse” begins as if someone’s creeping down in your basement with spooky and blipped out synthesizers and dissonant piano notes creepily creating an aura that’s pretty unique compared to the rest of the songs. In my initial spin of the record I determined that the first five tracks are where the money is, but subsequent listens bring the entire record together. ”The Lady Vanishes,” toward the album’s close, includes a snarky acoustic guitar and brooding vocal delivery. Drums are oddly not as prominent here, as the percussion arrangement centers around rattling tambourine shakes and snares. White Rabbits has enough hooks, chops, and energy to splatter the entire record with goodness. Tricky effects on the guitars are understated but largely important, and the piano and drums in concert signify that all six of them know how to arrange great music.
The band is currently on tour for most of the summer and is headed to Grog Shop here in Cleveland on May 30th. Stay tuned for some coverage of that show and make sure to pick up the album and hit up the show that’s nearest your town. Since the debut of Fort Nightly in 2007, the blogosphere has always alluded to how solid the band’s live performances are. We’re revved to see this here in Cleveland.
White Rabbits – Percussion Gun
Pick Up It’s Frightening at Insound Today!
05/21/2009 New York, NY, US Bowery Ballroom
05/30/2009 Cleveland, OH, US Grog Shop
05/31/2009 Chicago, IL, US Do Division Fest
06/01/2009 Newport, KY, US Southgate House
06/02/2009 Washington, DC, US Rock N Roll Hotel
06/04/2009 Cambridge, MA, US Middle East
06/05/2009 Philadelphia, PA, US Johnny Brendas
06/06/2009 Pittsburgh, PA, US Brillobox
06/07/2009 Columbus, OH, US The Summit
06/09/2009 Columbia, MO, US Mojos
06/10/2009 St. Louis, MO, US Firebird
06/11/2009 Manchester, TN, US Bonnaroo Music Festival
06/14/2009 Austin, TX, US Emo’s
06/16/2009 Tuscon, AZ, US Club Congress
06/17/2009 San Deigo, CA, US Casbah
06/18/2009 West Hollywood, CA, US Troubadour
06/19/2009 Visalia, CA, US Cellar Door
06/20/2009 San Francisco, CA, US The Independent
06/22/2009 Seattle, WA, US Crocodile Cafe
06/23/2009 Portland, OR, US Doug Fir
06/24/2009 Boise, ID, US Neurolux
06/25/2009 Salt Lake City, UT, US Urban Lounge
06/26/2009 Denver, CO, US Bluebird
06/27/2009 Omaha, NE, US Slowdown JR
06/29/2009 Minneapolis, MN, US 400 Bar
06/30/2009 Madison, WI, US High Noon Saloon
07/01/2009 Chicago, IL, US Empty Bottle
07/02/2009 Pontiac, MI, US Pike Room
08/01/2009 Jersey City, NJ , US All Points West
