Sound: Spoon frontman Britt Daniel produced this follow-up to White Rabbits’ stellar debut Fort Nightly (my #4 album of 2007), and you can definitely hear his influence. Upbeat and danceable (buoyant basslines, flickering acoustic guitars) meets dark and downtown chic (ominous piano lines, jabbing electric guitars). Some of the decadent, communal honky tonk flavor of their debut remains, but much of it has been replaced by an eerier, brooding sound reminiscent of The Walkmen, favoring mood over memorable melodies.
Heavy Rotation tracks: none
Medium Rotation tracks: “Percussion Gun”; “Rudie Fails”; “Lionesse”
Recommended: If you thought Spoon’s 2007 album Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga was worth listening to—despite it’s maddening lack of good hooks—or you don’t get bored after listening to a few tracks on a Walkmen album—despite the music’s ability to meander into aimless dissonance—then there’s a good chance you’ll like this new direction for White Rabbits. But those who loved Fort Nightly may be quite disappointed by It’s Frightening. As the title suggests, they do a decent job creating a scary, unsettling landscape, but they don’t fill it with any standout tracks and the vocals feel somewhat uninspired.
Grade: B-

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