Frightened Rabbit – “Boxing Night”
"State Hospital" EP, 2012
As much as I love Frightened Rabbit (which is a whole
fucking lot), I’ve always found their b-sides to be a little throwaway…which is
sort of the whole essence of a b-side, so no harm done. But “Boxing Night,”
from the State Hospital EP is a
marvelous exception. The picture Scott Hucthison paints of the day after
Christmas is perfect, and with pure Frightened Rabbit (read: Scottish) glumness:
Boxing night
I celebrate in style,
in boxer shorts and spirits
Floor littered with
ghosts of bottles past
There’s a naked hush,
clothed only in breath and a pulse
Of a heart that is
kicking as though it is desperate to be born
Jesus Christ.
Good Glasgow could
burn to its timber tonight, I’d barely blink an eye.
Hutchison’s songwriting is prized for his brutal
understanding of agony, and the lilt of this song almost feels like a sick
joke. It’s fantastic. Absolutely
terrific. The little acoustic guitar line that runs through this track
practically bounces. The choruses swell into these big, optimistic triumphs
with ethereal backing vocals and a glorious sense of fulfillment. Somehow,
Hutchison has found a way to be bleak without being depressing, and maybe
that’s one of the reasons why he’s one of the best songwriters out there.
Hutchison recently released his first solo effort under the moniker Owl John and it's morose and terrific. I've been wallowing in it for the last month. Review forthcoming. Here's one of my favorite tracks, "Los Angeles, Be Kind."
Hutchison recently released his first solo effort under the moniker Owl John and it's morose and terrific. I've been wallowing in it for the last month. Review forthcoming. Here's one of my favorite tracks, "Los Angeles, Be Kind."
