A look at the cover of It's Frightening, the White Rabbits' killer, sophomore release, yields a pretty good glimpse of what's to come at one of the band's shows. The image, which depicts a drummer maniacally attacking his set, sheds light on the passion each member of the White Rabbits brings to the stage for a performance. And Tuesday, at the Doug Fir, the image was further brought to life as four of the six band members ended up striking the drum set throughout the night.
These boys held absolutely nothing back, throwing themselves into every beat they created, thus developing a sound only a group like the White Rabbits could. Bouncing back and forth between instruments, the band injected a frenzied energy into their songs, and the audience. For "Kid On My Shoulders," best-known for its indie/island shuffle, three band members grabbed drum sticks and a maraca to pound a delicious rhythm into the tune.
The band's performance of "Midnight And I," a slower, darker track than most of their others, highlighted the dynamics that define the White Rabbits. Edging in and out of eerie melodies, the group captivated the audience with intense notes from the piano, drums, and guitars. But the lead and back-up vocals proved just as essential, providing harmony to each other while adding a needed ingredient to the band's sound.
Closing with the hot new single "Percussion Gun," the band showed the crowd their unique style won't be leaving the stage of the music industry any time soon. With the magnitude of the song swelling by the second, the White Rabbits sang of their take on love in a rambling, hip-shaking way no member of the audience could deny.
Labeled indie-rock, the truth of it shows White Rabbits to be playing essential rock ‘n' roll beats, layered with haunting rhythms and eclectic lyrics. Produced by Spoon's Britt Daniel, It's Frightening reveals the future for these Missouri-born boys: moody yet jubilant, and full of outrageously good times to come.
