Thursday, March 08, 2012

Album Review: White Rabbits - Milk Famous

On their third album, Milk Famous, White Rabbits have smoothed out the rough edges and embraced a funkier, groove-based sound that makes them sound more like Spoon than ever before (Britt Daniel of Spoon is credited as an engineer and additional producer on the album).

The frenetic energy and gritty sound found on previous releases was a big part of the band's sound, so to hear clear, round drums and less guitars is a bit shocking.

Right out the gate, the opening track "Heavy Metal" is a groove-laden drum and bass-heavy tune with smooth falsetto vocals and occasional guitar accents. The song is begging for multiple dance remixes.



"Temporary" is a catchy tune held together with a solid new wave bass groove and some spastic guitars. "I'm Not Me" sounds the most like the band's earlier work, with guitars cranked up and drums in the red.

While the drum and bass grooves and falsetto vocals that dominate the albums sound great and work on most of the songs individually, it gets a bit monotonous when listening to the album as a whole.

The album closes with two solid tracks, the rocking "The Day You Won the War," which features some fantastic guitar riffs, and the understated "I Had It Coming," which brings the album to a gentle close.

While Milk Famous isn't the band's best work to date, it's still a solid offering from a fantastic band exploring new sounds. Some of the songs might have a bit more umph in a live setting.

White Rabbits will play the Lincoln Theatre on Friday, March 9 with The War On Drugs. Milk Famous is out now.

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