Frightened Rabbit
The Winter of Mixed Drinks

In the eyes of this website, Frightened Rabbit left themselves scarce room for improvement with The Midnight Organ Fight. Literally, there was only one album better than it in DiS’ Albums of 2008 chart. Which leaves The Winter Of Mixed Drinks in a tricky position – either it turns out to be the best album of the year, or surely it’s failed?

The bad news first. This latest release by Scott Hutchinson’s ever-expanding ensemble falls short of the dizzying intensity of its masterpiece of a predecessor. But crucially, it is far from a failure – in the broader context of British alternative music, it cements Frightened Rabbit at the creative peak of the folk-crossover scene.

Continued at Drowned in Sound

You had to have seen it coming: Frightened Rabbit, three albums in, have refined their emotional, atmospheric songwriting style into something immeasurably huge, with eyes only for stadiums and perhaps, America.

2008's The Midnight Organ Fight found critical acclaim on both sides of the Atlantic, giving the Scottish five-piece a golden opportunity that even the most well-grounded bands would find difficult to ignore. It's now no longer a totally far-fetched thought that Frightened Rabbit are capable of becoming as big as Coldplay or Snow Patrol currently are Stateside. One inclusion on a prime-time show's famous closing scene and the rest will follow.

Continued at musicOMH