Posted on: July 16, 2007 Posted by: James McQuiston Comments: 1

White Rabbits – Fort Nightly / 2007 Say Hey / 11 Tracks / http://www.whiterabbitsnyc.com / http://www.sayheyrecords.com /

White Rabbits probably take their name from that Jefferson Airplane classic. I have no clue if that is true, but it sounds good. “Kid On My Shoulders” starts out “Fort Nightly”, and it shows that White Rabbits absolutely LOVE the sixties, especially the lounge sound. The vocals come from a newer tradition, but the instrumentation sounds like the lavish sounds that graced many a restaurant and casino in that period. The vocals during tracks like on the aforementioned “Kid On My Shoulders” put the track in a different context, making White Rabbits sound like the retro rock pioneers, which include The Strokes and Jet, among others.

Most time, the four and a half minute runtime of “Kid On My Shoulders” would put a damper on the rest of the CD, but the chorus is beaten into listeners’ head in such a catchy way that individuals are transfixed to the record players that are playing “Fort Nightly”. The style of the band is normalized into a more current sound with “The Plot”. There are still the same sort of influences that are going forth and influencing White Rabbits, but the band incorporate their own, current sound alongside the earlier approaches. This makes “The Plot” an impressive track, with a distinctive chorus and a driving beat that keeps the energy of the album up as high as possible. However much “The Plot” could be construed as a success, “Dinner Party” expands on that. The chorus expands on the aloof sound of the vocals on the track, with White Rabbits adding a melody and harmony to the track that will undoubtedly get people up on the dance floor.

The piano opening to “Navy wives” brings White Rabbits back to a much earlier track. While there is undoubtedly a current sound to the output of the band during this track, it feels as if the band is approaching the sound of some of the boy bands of the fifties and sixties. White Rabbits can bounce back and forth between these styles as whatever they release, they succeed on. If the band wasn’t so talented, the continual revision and shifting of the band’s style would undoubtedly make the album weaker. White Rabbits come out on the scene with a very successful album; I had not heard of them before receiving this album, but I will be definitely paying attention to what they do from here on out.

Top Tracks: March of the Camels, Dinner Party

Rating: 6.8/10

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