Album Review | Frightened Rabbit - Painting of a Panic Attack

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The perfect place may never exist
may never exist

Hard to believe, but it's been eight years since Frightened Rabbit released The Midnight Organ Fight, an album I religiously blasted for a good four or five months. I still know every word to songs like "The Modern Leper," "Poke," "Good Arms vs Bad Arms," "Keep Yourself Warm," and "My Backwards Walk." They spoke to me because Scott Hutchison is the kind of songwriter who can eloquently say exactly what he wants, mixing in the truth for good measure. Like at the end of "Poke," when he bravely proclaims, "I never hated you."

Last Friday, the band from Scotland released their latest offering, Painting of a Panic Attack. I hesitated writing about it so soon because, for starters, I was still working my through the songs that didn't immediately grab me on the first or second listen. Take "Break," for example. It might be the album's best song -- a clean rocker with urgency and substance -- both lyrically and musically. But I passed over it prematurely, for whatever reason -- bad mood, fatigue. bad day? I can't say. All I know is that I'm now bound to it.

Sure, Hutchison can get a little wordy -- see "State Hospital" from 2013's Pedestrain Verse (a brilliant song, mind you). His imagery can be a little uncomfortable -- see "Death Dream" from Panic Attack, which opens the album. It's an invitation, though, to not get comfortable -- the opposite of what Apple Music would prefer. Feed 'em the hook early, if you will.

But this is more than an album full of hooks. "I Wish I Was Sober," "An Otherwise Disappointing Life," and "Still Want To Be Here" are as honest as anything Hutchison has ever written, and that's what Panic Attack does well: it's a rabbit in a staring contest that is still trying to win.

Grade: B+

2013 in Quotes: Local Natives, Pegi Young, Tift Merritt, Frightened Rabbit, Kopecky Family Band, Jesse Sykes, Lucius, and more

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Album cover for Local Natives' Hummingbird

As we hang on to the last days of 2013, let's have a look back at some of the words that were by spoken by artists we've interviewed this year. From talking to Pegi Young on her tour bus, to speaking with Local Natives' Ryan Hahn via phone while parked in a Steak N Shake parking lot, here were some of our favorite quotes.

Local Natives' Ryan Hahn on their song "Three Months":

That song, lyrically, is about something very heavy. Kelcey wrote that about the time his mother passed away, so it was this really heavy time, obviously for him, but for all the band members. I think writing that song was a really helpful tool for Kelcey to cope with everything. And that song had a few different arrangements, a few different versions -- we couldn't really decide on how to present it. And finally, what ended up helping everything was this drum beat that was made out of sampled drums, so it wasn't a real drum set. And I just kind of took some samples that I had been working on and pieced them into that drum beat.

We had never done anything like that before, but Kelcey and I just kind of stayed up late piecing this song together in this weird, choppy way. And whenever we perform it live, which we don't get to do very often -- on this tour, I think we're going to -- it really does have a nice effect on the mood in the room. People quiet down, and it has this trance-like thing about it.

The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion on recording with Elliott Smith:

Well, (laughs) for a while there, Elliott was just kind of, hanging out.  He seemed to always just magically be around. And it just happened to be at a time we needed some melodic backing vocals, so Elliott came by one day to record his parts, and did a few songs with us, and one that we recorded was a version of The Beatles "Yer Blues," with Elliott singing and playing bass, which, if you're familiar with that song -- is a pretty heavy song.  Shortly after that, Elliott passed away, so now we have this tape that we'll never release because the song took on this whole new weird light, but it's this great version from this deeply troubled, but remarkable musician.

So, he's on a lot of stuff from the New York City sessions, and then we went to LA and spent three days in his studio, which had an incredible collection of gear. He invited us to just come jam, and work with him, and he was sorta...courting us, and he was like "I want to make a record with you guys, and I want you to be my band" and we were up for that, so we would arrive at the studio and we would just kinda sit around outside the studio and wait for him for long periods of time, so it wasn't a very productive trip...but he was a sweet guy and just an incredible musician, but just dealing with a lot of problems.

But it's funny because just last night Russell Simmons and I were talking about this, and after the tragedy of Elliott killing himself, there were a few books that came out, and one of them, (laughs) attacks us saying that we were a bad influence for him, saying "how could they have alcohol in the dressing room when Elliott was there!" And I thought that was just incredibly unfair, since the author knew nothing about the relationship between Elliott Smith and the Blues Explosion. 

Tift Merritt on being alone:

I think that being alone is something that I think about a lot, and it's something that I feel a lot. I love having an afternoon by myself. I think being an artist is a solitary journey. I think being a human is probably a solitary journey at times. And then, being alone can mean being terribly lonely. I think it's interesting to think about both of those, and then the question of how to make meaning of it is, really: How are you authentic to yourself? And how do you find a way to participate? That's kind of a narrow path.

Delicate Steve on the idea of being mystical:

I feel very blessed to have been surrounded by so many good teachers from such a young age. I don't really resonate with the idea of being mystical because it seems like such an otherworldly sounding thing, and I think where it's at is right now, so meditating and all of that *spiritual stuff* is just trying to get you focused and tuned into this world right now.

Scott Hutchison of Frightened Rabbit on the idea of "depressing music":

Well, the subject matter is fairly bleak and I understand that some people don't want that from music. Someone told me the other day that the song made them feel sad in a really wonderful way. The fact that a song makes the listener feel something is vital to me, and that's what I aim for when I write. I think it's important that there's a hopeful 'lift' at the end too, as otherwise it would be truly oppressive and perhaps a little depressing.

Kitten on performing with energy:

It's hard to explain, but I'm really not thinking about anything while I'm on stage. Which is why often times I forget to thank the headlining band for having us, or mention that we have CD'S in the back. The most extreme parts of myself come out on stage and I'm not sure why. So if I'm feeling particularly aggressive or angry that day, I'll probably end up punching one of my band mates. If I ate a spinach salad, ran a mile and feel like Beyonce, I'll probably bite my lip and shake my hips a little more than usual.  

Kopecky Family Band on their song "Change":

That song...you're so right. I feel like...that song is the essence of Gabe and I's writing. We actually got to go to Dave Matthews' studio -- we were passing through, and they were kind enough to say, "hey, come on over and do some demos." So, we did, and we were writing so much as a group, and we would do these little breakout sessions, and Gabe and I got paired up again. And literally, we wrote that entire song, structurally, in like five minutes.

The idea of the song is actually a story of me being afraid of commitment, and marriage, and love, because my parents were so happy, and then they got a divorce. My mom always says that in the heat of the moment, things might seem that you should do one thing, but you really need to stop and think for a second. And then the other part of it is a reflection on my sister -- she's happily married and has two kids, and it's like, "please, God, let them have true love, she deserves it." And then my mom's advice at the end -- you'll know in your heart and with your intuition if it's the right thing.

But still, things change -- you can be an amazing lover, an amazing person to your spouse, but the minute that isn't reciprocated, there's not that balance anymore. And "don't you go and change for me" is like a plea -- stay true in this, and don't change.

Escondido on performing on Conan:

Tyler James: It was one of the best days of my life, honestly.  You hope for that opportunity but never expect it.  We got to run the song five times in the morning while they figured out sound, lighting, and camera shots and that really helped. I don't really get nervous playing shows but had some pretty serious stage fright when the curtain came up...was second guessing the chords I was playing, and my trumpet part. About and minute in I realized the band was killing it and i just enjoyed it from there. Everyone on the show was a class act from beginning to end. The sound and production folks were incredible...the crew treated us like friends...Conan and his band were incredibly nice. After we recorded they let us walk over to the mixing truck and make some tweaks...wasn't expecting that at all. We all watched it together later that night at a bar at Sunset Blvd. and were all hi-fiving...couldn't believe how good the audio and visuals turned out. 

Jessica Maros: I’m so happy with the way it turned out. We’re such a new band that if it went south it could have been bad for us. I can say that now. I think before we did it, I went into it not thinking about the what ifs…I went in thinking we’re just going to be ourselves. They had requested us to do "Cold October" and we really wanted to include a trumpet. The song never had trumpet in the recording so we decided to do an intro…I’m so glad we did cause it gave us a chance to show the vibe of the a band. Conan liked my blue jumpsuit and wanted it for himself and I’m glad he liked the Mariachi hat we made for him.

Josh Ritter on whether or not it was hard to accept love back in his life again:

No. No, it wasn't. Because I love...I feel like I'm a loving, trustful person. That's who I am, and I would rather be trustful than jealous, and I try and stay that way. So, it was really good.

Leah Hennessey of Pornography on meeting Ryan Adams and Johnny T. Yerington:

I just met them -- just met them all at once, in one moment. We kind of knew some people in common, but it was just coincidence that we met, it wasn't through anybody. I think I met Ryan one time when I was kid, for a minute, or maybe that didn't happen. (laughs). I think I met Johnny one time...I don't know, we kind of pieced it together, but I'm not sure if we're lying to each other or not.

But, we met this time, and the next day they were like, "oh, hey, you want to come sing in our punk band?" And really, any other day, I would have said no, just cause, you know, normal, social anxiety -- why do something new? But, I was just in one of those moods, where I was going to say yes to almost anything.

So, I went in, and they were in the middle of recording all those songs that are on 7 Minutes, and they were half way through, and they were like, "oh, you want to make up some words to these?" And I immediately did all of them. So, that whole thing was recorded the second time we ever met, let alone the first time we ever played together. It was kind of amazing...it felt very destined. I t felt very faded and simple, and I didn't question it.

Jesse Sykes on intimacy in today's society:

Well, I think the thing is that the experience is less intimate now, and less organic, in these cases we are discussing. Before all the gadgets became the norm, it was just you deciding how YOU felt about something....the commitment to the emotional response was truly intimate because there was no immediate sharing. Whether it was a moving experience or not didn't depend on what others were saying, or going to say about it. I think it has everything to do with that inherent hole inside all human beings -- the need to be received, the need to be witnessed.  We have a hard time resisting the opportunity to be witnessed. To me, it's all a metaphor for God and however you want to define God.. You might not be religious, or believe in God, but if you don't connect those dots somehow, every time you make a post on Facebook about some really anomalous thing that's not all that important....well, it's just that hole inside of you that's wanting to be filled, revealing itself, and the more frantically you post or search for silly things out there, the more obvious it should be that you are trying to fill the void. And the music, it's just an unfortunate thing that it gets scooped up in the mess of extraneous thoughts and whatnot that float about in the ether now. People are obviously still moved by music, but the problem is that it's so fractured and frayed that collectively it's not really the culturally shared experience that it used to be, which was a really cool thing. I don't know -- I feel like the Internet is alienating us from everything -more. We are just told it is doing the opposite because there are some obvious examples where it is a very positive thing. They need to sell more gadgets, so they need us all to believe it's elevated our lives....but it's our job to be discerning, and we mostly are not being so. We have forgotten it takes silence to connect with ourselves....but we rarely have that silence anymore cause we are attached to our phones and laptops. I do think that people should be more conscious of being hooked in all the time, what they post and why, and if they were they would learn a lot about themselves. We all need to take a step back and say, "does the whole world need to see this right now? Do I really need to post another self-portrait or meal, or insignificant thought? "Who am I really trying to reach"? Or :"what am I searching for, really?"

Pegi Young on life with her husband, Neil Young:

We're really normal. I'm in my garden. He's playing with his model trains. You know, I cook dinner. We live a very normal life, really, with very extraordinary moments mixed in.

 The Staves on working with Glyn and Ethan Johns:

We'd be having lunch together and Glyn would start, "this reminds me of one time when John and I were eating and Paul and Ringo wander over...." The man has some of the best stories from our favourite era of music. Glyn and Ethan are both masters at working with tape, which is how we wanted to record, and they believe in getting live takes - warts and all. I think this has given the album the kind of honest feeling we always hoped it would have.

Seth Porter of The Blind Eyes on writing lyrics:

Writing lyrics is definitely the biggest challenge in the songwriting process for me. I know some songwriters have notebooks full of lyrics waiting for music, but I am always musically 3-5 songs ahead of my lyric writing. I think we play the kind of music that you can enjoy whether or not you pay any attention to the lyrics, but I hope that there is some payoff for those who do. Not to say that it is great poetry or philosophy or anything, but I have to sing those words at the top of my lungs, so I'd certainly prefer that they were worth something. I hope the words aren't entirely lost in guitars, but on some level we're a rock band, so it is just a different animal than the acoustic guitar/storyteller type stuff.

Jillette Johnson on her song "Cameron":

"Cameron" is about trying to figure out what it is you really are when you look in the mirror. I think that's something that I have certainly struggled with in my life, and I think that's a pretty normal thing for a human to feel. You don't really know if you really belong in your cover, you know? And I...I happen to be lucky enough to know someone who is very, very strong and has a very powerful story, and they are transgendered, and that certainly inspires the story of "Cameron." But, it really is a lot about the universal need to understand our own identity, and to not let other people tell us what that is supposed to be.

Lucius on their song "Don't Just Sit There":

That song was written at an interesting time, luckily Jess and I have experienced relationships on a similar timeline so when it came to writing a lot of these songs, we were able to relate to each other. This one was written in the space between breakup and new love, which is why there's a slightly sorrowful sentiment, but also hopeful. It could be a question to your previous lover, your new lover, yourself, your friend...and that in itself is why I think we just kept the lyric very simple.

Roman Remains' Liela Moss on simplicity and music:

I don't know if I can comment on strategies, and whether or not it's okay to get complicated. I actually think that everything is so simple, that we can't actually compare. Some of the best things I'm listening to are so simple. It's not really about a complicated articulation of a composition, I just think it's about naivety versus slick commercial news. And I think it's obvious every time when something is manufactured and it isn't somebody experimenting. And experimenting is the most fun.

GROUPLOVE's Ryan Rabin on the challenges during the recoding of Spreading Rumours:

Spreading Rumours is a bi-product of an intense amount momentum that was built off of three straight years of touring prior to this album. I think there is always an instinct for every musician to challenge themselves as they grow, and for us that definitely rings true, but our biggest influences are each other. So at times the closeness can turn into claustrophobia. On one side of the coin, we're best friends, and on the other side, siblings. We can't get enough of each other but we also spend every second together, so there is a general tension within such a close relationship that makes for great chemistry in the studio, and forced us to push the tangents we took on the last album even further -- sonically and genre wise.

The 150 Best Songs of 2013

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Well, another trip around the sun. And here we are.

Again, we haven't listened to every release. We haven't listened to every genre. And we know many of you are probably tired of lists.

But, like we mentioned last year, this is all about discovery. And again like last year, with discovery being the reason we do this, we absolutely welcome your comments on Facebook, Twitter, or in the section below this post. Because we know we've missed plenty of great songs, and we would love to hear them.

We would like to dedicate this year's list to Angelo Merendino and the memory of his late wife, Jennifer. Because of them, we found song #150 on our list, Jonka's "Ever After." The song and their story is a good reminder to keep hope and love alive in our hearts. Tell someone you love them. Do it today.

You can listen to (most) of our 150 Best Songs of 2013 on Spotify by following the playlist here. (Or just play from the widget below.)

Or, CLICK HERE for the full list. It's more dramatic that way (just give it a few minutes to load).

As always, thanks for reading and listening.

Love,
Speakers in Code (Jason, Matt, Aggie, Mary, and Dylan)

Concert Photos | Frightened Rabbit + Local Natives at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colorado

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Frightened Rabbit | All Photos by Jason Gonulsen

You've heard it before: that Red Rocks Amphitheatre is a place you need to visit before you die. I can tell you it's more than legit, a pure gem of a venue, offering natural beauty everywhere you turn. Experience it more than once if you can -- that's my advice.

I have more advice: go see Frightened Rabbit and/or Local Natives. You just might get to see Scott Hutchison of Frightened Rabbit completely own the song "Acts of Man" and toss his guitar to the ground like he did before he left the stage for good at Red Rocks. Oh, and I'll never get tired of hearing "Holy" or "My Backwards Walk" live, especially when Hutchison repeats the line, "You're the shit and I'm knee deep in it." Masterful.

Here are some shots of both bands, who opened for The National this past Tuesday at Red Rocks.

Lollapalooza Recap | Our 17 Favorite Sets of the Weekend

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Frightened Rabbit | All photos by Jason Gonulsen

Another Lollapalooza is now in the books, but we wanted to take one last look back on what we experienced, which we're happy to report was a weekend defined by freedom and expression. It didn't matter if you were shaking it at Perry's Stage, rocking to Queens of the Stone Age, or chanting and singing at Lana Del Rey: chances are, you had a blast.

In case you missed our earlier posts, we took some shots of what we saw:

Day One photos.

Day Two photos.

Day Three photos.

And in no order, here were our favorite sets of the weekend. Until next year, Lollapalooza!

Local Natives
Their latest album, Hummingbird, is more low-key, but their Lollapalooza set was mostly upbeat. And, it was well attended with enthusiasm: thousands sang along to "Airplanes" under the sun. Impressive set.

Lana Del Rey
Someone please give this woman a break. Because, clearly, there are thousands who adore her: I witnessed many people crying at the sight of her face, singing along to her every word, cherishing her every move at the Grove stage (they chanted "Lana! Lana! Lana" fifteen minutes before she took the stage). Her voice was strong and her movements were those of a woman in charge. And at the end of her closing song, "National Anthem," she went into the crowd for hugs and autographs. Amazing performance.

Lana Del Rey

Blondfire
They really hit their stride during their current single, "Waves," and the crowd reacted with a surge of energy. Erica Driscoll has everything you would want in a lead singer, and she's really able to connect with her audience. Look for their full-length album soon; for now, here's their wonderful EP, Where The Kids Are.

Bear Mountain
The quartet from Vancouver was a hit with the BMI crowd, especially during "Two Step." Frontman Ian Bevis is a huge talent, and it would not surprise me to find them playing bigger stages in the near future. Listen to their debut album, XO, here.

HAIM
The Haim sisters -- Danielle, Alana, and Este -- have pretty much everything: catchy melodies, stage presence, confidence. They displayed it all at the Grove Stage, where they took control during "Falling" and "Forever." Look for them to continue their upward rise after the release of their debut full-length, Days Are Gone, on September 30th via Columbia Records.

Este Haim

Frightened Rabbit
"You just have to do your best," Frightened Rabbit's Scott Hutchison told the crowd, trying to get them to sing. "Because in the end, that always has to be good enough." Frightened Rabbit was more than good enough, as they opened with "Living in Colour." But it was "The Woodpile" and "Backwards Walk" that sealed the deal for the Scots, making this one of the best Lollapalooza sets I've witnessed.

Queens of the Stone Age
They opened with "You Think I Ain't Worth A Dollar, But I Feel Like A Millionaire," and the crowd exploded like a first-day festival crowd should, which is to say: an electric atmosphere at the Bud Light stage. Josh Homme is clearly one of the greats.

Family of the Year
Such fun music, and the members of Family of the Year clearly have a blast performing it. "You're making our year," said Christina Schroeter, who was sporting bright yellow hair. They certainly made everyone's afternoon with tight versions of "Hero" and "Buried." I highly recommend their 2012 release, Loma Vista.

The National
Matt Berninger still walks around the stage like a furious caged animal. And he still howls during "Squalor Victoria." This band is now firing on all cylinders. Highlights were "I Should Live In Salt" and "Fake Empire."

Matt Berninger of The National

Lianne La Havas
A glorious set in the afternoon sun. Lianne La Havas can sing a little, and now I understand why Stevie Wonder and Prince are fans. My favorite moment was her voice during "Lost & Found." Just effortless; La Havas is a huge star in the waiting.

Phoenix
Their opening of "Entertainment," "Lasso," and "Lisztomania" was huge, and it erased any doubt as to whether or not Thomas Mars was still a star. He is, and Phoenix is an absolute must-see band at any festival. They know how to keep a crowd from being restless.

Charles Bradley
Good God can this man put on a show. His set featured a wardrobe change, but I don't think it had anything to do with fashion: Charles Bradley doesn't stop moving, and his purple suit was probably soaked. A 100% real musician, no BS -- that's what you get with Bradley.

Houndmouth
Still very young and raw, yet they already know how to deliver with songs like "On the Road" and "Penitentiary." Pretty good turnout for an afternoon set, too. Have a listen to their debut album, From the Hills Below the City here.

Tegan and Sara
Sounded much tighter than their show at The Pageant earlier this year, but that is to be expected. They opened with "Drove Me Wild" and closed with "Closer," and, really, they never let up until their final note. Well done.

Tegan and Sara

Vampire Weekend
They attract a party crowd, so, yes, there was dancing. Everywhere. Especially during "Horchata," "Everlasting Arms," and "A-Punk." I still think "Step" is their best song.

Jessie Ware
She was born to work a stage, constantly moving around like a boxer before a fight. There's a lot to like here, and her Lollapalooza performance shined during the opening "Devotion" and "Still Love Me." Listen to Devotion here.

Theophilus London
What charisma. He basically does whatever he wants, including stopping songs mid-breath, proclaiming, "Naw, it's too early in the day for this." And the crowd just goes with him. Never an awkward moment with Theophilus, just stone-cold swagger.

Lollapalooza Day One Recap + Photos | Lana Del Rey, Frightened Rabbit, Queens of the Stone Age, Houndmouth, Jessie Ware

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All photos by Jason Gonulsen

The crowd was chanting "Lana! Lana! Lana!"

This was about 15 minutes before they even saw her face.

I had my doubts, but Lana Del Rey put on a spectacular performance, light years ahead of her SNL debacle last year. Her voice was strong and her fans were in total love her every move -- singing along to every song, especially "Cola," "Born to Die," "Video Games," and the closing "National Anthem."

Before her set, Frightened Rabbit and Queens of the Stone Age played simultaneously, both playing to large, rabid crowds.

"You just have to do your best," Frightened Rabbit's Scott Hutchison told the crowd, trying to get them to sing. "Because in the end, that always has to be good enough."

Earlier in the day, Houndmouth pleased a nice gathering at the BMI stage with songs like "On the Road" and "Penitentiary," while Jessie Ware sparkled at the Petrillo stage.

All in all, a fine opening day for Lollapalooza. Please enjoy the photos (all by Jason Gonulsen).

Jessie Ware

Houndmouth

Houndmouth

Blondfire

San Cisco

Band of Horses

Theophilus London

Hey Marseilles

Thievery Corporation

Queens of the Stone Age

 

Frightened Rabbit

Lana Del Rey