Review Saturday: Frightened Rabbit - "Death Dream"

Frightened Rabbit

"Death Dream"

Painting of a Panic Attack

Canvasback/Atlantic

You know when a song starts with "It was dawn and the kitchen light was still on", it won't be a fun one. Scottish folk-rock band, Frightened Rabbit, gives us first taste from their follow up of their 2013-album, Pedestrian Verse. "Death Dream" serves as first single and the first track of their album, and it's song about death. And just like every song about death, "Death Dream" is so melancholic and full of sorrow, yet so poetic. "I stepped in and found the suicide asleep on the floor. An open mouth screams and makes no sound. Apart from the rain of the tinnitus of silence, you had your ear to the ground," continued Scott Hutchinson, accompanied by the growl of organ. The lyrics are so fluid and full of on-point metaphors: tinnitus of silence, scream and no sound. It feels complex, while "Death Dream"'s composition sounds simple and not too excessive--after all, it's a song about death, what will you expect? It is produced by The National's Aaron Dessner and you can hear The National's influence on the song. 

The awesomeness of the song reaches its epitome when Hutchinson leads a choir-like climax when he whispers, "He died in sleep last night" over and over, while in the background you can hear him chanting, "It's been a while since I dream this". The part feels so harmonious, it feels so alive--which is really surprising from a song like this. 

Painting of a Panic Attack will be released on April 8th by Canvasback/Atlantic.