Frightened Rabbit - Painting Of A Panic Attack (Album Review)
Monday, 11 April 2016
Written by Jennifer Geddes
By the time ‘Pedestrian Verse’ arrived, Frightened Rabbit had become highly skilled at penning the sort of rock anthems that might fill stadiums, building on the solid foundations of frontman Scott Hutchison‘s emotional and evocative words. ‘Painting of a Panic Attack’, their fifth album, isn’t a major departure but it pushes them to a different place. Perhaps influenced by producer Aaron Dessner, of the National, this is their deepest work to date, both sonically and lyrically.
The biggest change apparent in the band’s sound is the subtle presence of electronic flourishes, which blend seamlessly with their guitar-heavy style and add an icy edge to the more conventional Frightened Rabbit tracks Get Out, Woke Up Hurting and An Otherwise Disappointing Life.
They really explore this new style in depth on Lump Street, a noir imagining of Los Angeles that starts with a distorted synth drone and a harsh, but precise, electronic beat that’s like nothing Frightened Rabbit have done before.
This coldness is reflected by Hutchison who, despite having moved to LA, doesn’t seem to have been inspired by the sunshine.
His words have always been emotionally fraught, but here he sometimes takes that to a more physical place. Death Dream, the album’s first song, features the lyrics: “I stepped in, found the suicide asleep on the floor. An open mouth screams and makes no sound.” The track builds tension slowly and carefully, holding on tight and never letting go.
There is an exploration of space throughout, allowing instruments to stand out and the band to linger on melodies. This ensures that the album holds out the raucous and cathartic climaxes that Frightened Rabbit are known for until the very end of its songs and sometimes resists them completely, forcing you to sit with the darkness and contemplate it.
As a result, ‘Painting of a Panic Attack’ is perhaps Frightened Rabbit’s most challenging album. They’re at their most melancholic and not inclined to give in to their audience’s expectations, but there’s depth, dark wit and poetry present that make it an impressive, mature piece of work.
At the end of it all, through all the shadows, Hutchinson goes back to his roots. On Die Like a Rich Boy, the final song, his rich, lulling Scottish accent is accompanied by an elegant acoustic guitar and delicate piano melody. It’s like a lullaby; one that washes away the hurt to leave a sweet sadness.
Frightened Rabbit Upcoming Tour Dates are as follows:
Tue April 12 2016 - MANCHESTER Academy 2
Wed April 13 2016 - DUNFERMLINE Alhambra Theatre
Thu April 14 2016 - LONDON St John At Hackney
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