Artist Of The Week: Frightened Rabbit

The WERS Artist Of The Week is the Scottish rock band, Frightened Rabbit.  The band just released a brand new EP called State Hospital and will be playing in Boston this Saturday night, October 6^th at The Brighton Music Hall.

Frightened Rabbit formed back in 2003 and is made up of Scott Hutchinson on lead vocals and guitars, Billy Kennedy on guitar and bass, Andy Monaghan on guitar, Grant Hutchinson on drums and Gordon Skene on guitar and keys.  The name “Frightened Rabbit” comes from the name Scott Hutchinson’s mother called him as a kid due to his chronic shyness.

The debut Frightened Rabbit record, Sing The Greys, was released in May 2006. In January of the next year, the group embarked on a short tour of the U.S. and also performed at South By Southwest in Austin, Texas that year.  This created buzz around the band, and led to their signing with Fat Cat Records. A remixed and remastered version of Sing The Greys was released in the U.S. and U.K. in late 2007.

In April of 2008, the band released their second record, The Midnight Organ Fight, on Fat Cat Records. The record was immediately met with immense critical praise especially for Hutchinson’s honest and heartfelt lyrics. The record landed on many best of the year lists including The NME’s and Pitchfork Media’s.

The band followed that record with 2010’s The Winter Of Mixed Drinks, which, like it’s predecessor, was released on Fat Cat Records and produced by Peter Katis (The National, Interpol). The album features the hit single, “Swim Until You Can’t See Land”.

Now Frightened Rabbit are back with a brand new release, State Hospital EP.  The EP features  five new Frightened Rabbit tracks, one being a collaboration with former Arab Strap vocalist, Aidan Moffat. The band is also expected to release their fourth studio album in early 2013. You can catch Frightened Rabbit live in Boston this Saturday night, October 6^th at The Brighton Music Hall and keep listening to WERS to hear new music from the State Hospital EP!

By Mariel Wade

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