Disappointing is a word you will never see in the same sentence as Frightened Rabbit, unless of course it’s in the case of “I didn’t get Frightened Rabbit tickets, it’s disappointing”.
Pedestrian Verse, is of course fit for the same rule, the band’s fourth album will be familiar and refreshing to existing fans and tracks like ‘The Woodpile’ will reel in some more of those elusive British fans that Frabbit have struggled with in the past, strangely the band have found more success across the Atlantic than they have across the border.
The album introduces itself with ‘Acts of Men’, a deeply sincere track of self-reflection focusing on personal faults that can be found in every male of the species.
A few tracks in and ‘Holy’ is classic Frabbit, you can almost smell the pint and sweat off the guy next to you in Sleazy’s, and it’s followed by the album’s big single ‘The Woodpile’.
‘The Woodpile’ is fit for their greatest hits, epic sounding as ever, it’s impossible not to throw your arms aloft singing this with coarse words even in the privacy of your own bath.
On ‘December’s Traditions’ Scott Hutchison delves into some Scottish heritage, the track is plays on a melody close to that of an auld folk ballad but brings it back to the modern day as the electric guitars drive their way through the track like a nail through steel.
Every Frightened Rabbit release has that one track that will stun you live, there’s been ‘Poke’, ‘Swim Until You Can’t See Land’ and ‘Scottish Winds’ before now, ‘State Hospital’ fits right in and will find itself in the latter part of gigs, this is an encore worthy track.
The album ends on ‘Oil Slick’, heavier with guitar fuzz than usual in parts and with added groove, it’s the perfect choice as an album curtain closer, leaving you humming the tune right up until the record skips back to track one taking you back through.
Frightened Rabbit are an advert for Scottish independence on their own.
Words: Ryan Sharpe
Rave Child 
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