Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Frightened Rabbit takes vulnerability, gives it a purpose and turns it into a close friend. When the dismal reaches a crisis point Scott Hutchison’s voice has an uncanny ability to turn the feeling around, bring warmth to your earphones, and somehow transform the pensive into privilege. In the sense that the darker moments, self-doubt and uncertainty can ultimately lead to a richer, higher state of being, Frightened Rabbit may be the perfect soundtrack.

We were lucky enough to meet with singer Scott Hutchison behind Toronto's legendary Horseshoe Tavern just before a sold-out show, to a packed room of eager fans. Right before we began, Scott's tour manager took off to get Scott some sushi.

"Anything with tuna and salmon, just a selection" he ordered in his Scottish accent.

Despite the sushi dinner, on stage Scott assumed an acute gaze that seemed to go beyond the crowd and straight through to the back of the room. As his eyes stared ahead he seemed to be going inward where his beautifully penned songs were born. The songs, though weighted with despair never end without a glimmer of light.

"I always like to have a chink of light at the end" he offers when asked about the cathartic affect of his music.

When Scott takes the stage the crowd appears irrelevant. As the guitars glide above the rhythm section, Scott goes inward to the place that inspired his latest work on the album Midnight Organ Fight. Urged on by the crowd’s appreciation Scott stares blankly ahead, but after every song his gratitude for those who have come to listen consistently comes across as selfless and genuine.

He played us a couple songs on his acoustic despite breaking a string while trying to tune.

"That's fine,” he said. "Let me think of some songs that don't need that string".

He's a surprisingly calm, centered guy despite the subject matter in his songs that contemplate self-doubt, solitude and his body floating lifeless in a river. The death of a serious relationship seemed to provide the backdrop to this album.

"Love has provided me with the finest and worst moments of my life" Scott explains about Midnight Organ Fight's theme.

"I tend to get involved pretty quickly and fall pretty hard". He offered as explanation to the album’s vividly overcast subject matter.

Scott then went on to explain that the reason for so much disease and body part imagery in his lyrics may be associated with the physical manifestation of the emotional stress and insomnia he suffered while writing Midnight Organ Fight.

Speaking of the subject matter on Midnight Organ Fight, it seems to be unabashedly about relationships; or at least a failed relationship that Scott experienced before penning MOF. The lyrics on the album are succinct and heartfelt. He doesn't paint cryptic pictures of abstract notions or pretentious concepts. Scott's lyrics are simple direct and to the point, which is likely why they resonate so powerfully with the Frightened Rabbit fan base.

"I don't like to make people feel stupid" he explains.

Well put Scott.