Album review: Frightened Rabbit - The Winter of Mixed Drinks

Published on Sunday 21 February 2010 20:40

FRIGHTENED RABBIT: THE WINTER OF MIXED DRINKS *** FAT CAT, £10.99

A NEW strain of anthemic Celtic music has emerged over the past couple of years, one which eschews the pomp of 1980s behemoths, such as Simple Minds and Big Country, but draws on the influence of such distinctive Scottish indie bands as Idlewild, Biffy Clyro, Mogwai and, further afield, the epic emotional surge of Arcade Fire in full flow.

Glasgow's Frightened Rabbit are leaders of this earnest, often angsty pack, enjoying a gradual Biffy-style ascent through the ranks. The excellently titled Winter Of Mixed Drinks is their third album and one might say it refines their palette. In short, if you liked what you heard before, here's a bit more of the same.

Satisfying tunes are elusive, although occasionally they hit on a rousing chant, such as the hookline of Living In Colour, or deliver a no-nonsense sprint such as Nothing Like You.

But, overall, Frightened Rabbit exhibit a preference for soundscape – terse rhythms, swelling strings, subtle brass – over song, composing from the top down.