There is something to be said for music with a familiar sound. The weary ears of today’s music connoisseur are frequently in danger of becoming immune to the pleasures of a simple well—written melody: something with a good beat that you can dance to; a chorus that you can sing along with without having to concentrate. It is precisely because of this that it is very easy to overlook the joys of a band such as Frightened Rabbit.
The Midnight Organ Flight was a great album. It paired clever, confessional lyrics to sing-along choruses which brought an undeniably ‘anthem-like’ quality to the whole affair. Despite this purported bombast, an air of the classic singer-songwriter format pervaded throughout the foundation of each composition. Their newest release, The Winter of Mixed Drinks makes a valiant effort to expand their sound without sacrificing their considerable charms. It is only partially successful.
For this album, Frightened Rabbit has added a fourth band member. The addition is immediately evidenced through the expanded sonic palette which fleshes out the characteristic melodies which they have become known for. The experiments in song craft and texture are not a failure in and of themselves but the production of the album feels fairly flat and uninspired causing the additional instrumentation to feel muddled and unnecessary. Gone is the raw immediacy which allowed The Midnight Organ Flight to soar past its limitations.
It should be mentioned that the lyrics on this album do not maintain the same level of intimacy which made their previous albums so endearing; this is not to say, however, that the songs are not good. It is unlikely that someone listening to this album will not enjoy it (unless they hate melodic music… or Scottish accents). It is probable that you will sing along and tap your toes. There are plenty of hooks which will stick in your head for hours after you have heard them. There are quite a few moments on The Winter of Mixed Drinks that are just plain fun. I, for one, cannot help but smile when the bass line to “Swim Until You Can’t See Land” starts chugging along. It reminds me of a song I may have listened to in my younger years and I feel an odd tinge of nostalgia each time it begins.
This album will not change your life. It is not going to influence the future of music or introduce you to a new sound you have not explored before. It will give you an enjoyable listen from start to finish and it may add a song or two to your private, in-car karaoke performances. For this reason, among others, I can comfortably give it my whole-hearted recommendation. Who knows, you may grow to love it if you give it some time.
