Pedestrian Verse

Frightened Rabbit - Pedestrian Verse
Critic Score
Based on 24 reviews
2013 Ratings: #228 / 1115
User Score
Based on 118 ratings
2013 Rank: #180
Liked by 9 people
February 5, 2013 / Release Date
LP / Format
Indie Rock / Genre
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CRITIC REVIEWS

100
A.V. Club

Hutchison intended “Pedestrian Verse” to be a self-directed warning, but as a title for his band’s latest album, it reads as proudly defiant.

80
Drowned in Sound

If there’s one word for the album, it’s focused. Yes, it’s a step forward – but just the one, and some of the omissions feel like a sacrifice.

80
Under the Radar

The arrangements are more ambitious, with giant choruses tailor-made for crowds to scream along. Each track moves through a range of tones and moods. It's a truly dynamic set of recordings.

80
Consequence of Sound

Here, finally, is a Frightened Rabbit for all seasons: warm, buzzy tracks intersect with quieter, calmer numbers, and a few touches of the old acidic sadness, all tied together into a multi-dimensional package.

80
NME

Big but never bombastic, and gratifyingly free of empty emotions, the ensuing battle to be a better human being is played out over an ever-surging mass of bruised hope on songs like ‘Holy’. 

80
musicOMH

Pedestrian Verse should easily continue Frightened Rabbit’s upwards trajectory and, as with the characters who populate the album, you can’t help but root for their success.

77
Paste

While Pedestrian Verse feels like the most comprehensive Frightened Rabbit LP in the band’s nearly 10-year career, it also forgoes some of the band’s restless charm in the process.

76
Pitchfork

More readily apparent than this new emotional maturity is how Frightened Rabbit has really shined up as a band.

75
The 405

Pedestrian Verse sees a band seemingly grasp what makes them who they are again.

70
DIY

Between critiques of religion, narratives on impending death and futile life and shards of scathing social commentary, the album represents a growing maturity and aptitude as they fully grasp when less is more.

60
PopMatters

All this life-and-death consequence pushes an importance on these songs that’s not needed, and the weighty images sometimes overshadow what’s actually some pretty affecting moments.

40
The Fly

The poetry is occasionally blindingly effective and bands have to move on, but did Frightened Rabbit have to move quite so far away from what made them special?

92

Any band that can make two albums of the quality that Pedestrian Verse and The Midnight Organ Fight have would be very lucky. Frightened Rabbit seemed to achieve that with ease. Pedestrian Verse takes what Frightened Rabbit have done before and elevates it.

The pairing of songs with Acts of Man and State Hospital with one being about men's growing role in society fading alongside their growing shitty behaviour, whilst the other is about a woman being set up to fail by society right from birth. ... read more

95

Very underrated album. A growing album also. I now think this is the best album of FR.

88

Extremely underrated album and artist.

92

Any band that can make two albums of the quality that Pedestrian Verse and The Midnight Organ Fight have would be very lucky. Frightened Rabbit seemed to achieve that with ease. Pedestrian Verse takes what Frightened Rabbit have done before and elevates it.

The pairing of songs with Acts of Man and State Hospital with one being about men's growing role in society fading alongside their growing shitty behaviour, whilst the other is about a woman being set up to fail by society right from birth. ... read more

95

Very underrated album. A growing album also. I now think this is the best album of FR.

88

Extremely underrated album and artist.

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Added on: November 7, 2012