In Opening Track, we take an early look at a forthcoming record that we’re excited about. Today, we check in with White Rabbits, who will release Milk Famous on March 6.
Why we’re excited: The Brooklyn band’s previous album, 2009’s It’s Frightening, earned comparisons to Spoon, and not only because Britt Daniel produced it. White Rabbits’ energetic cross-pollination of post-punk, soul, percussive noise, and stealth eclecticism made It’s Frightening an irresistible listen, so much so that we included in our best albums of ’09 list. (They’re also headlining our SXSW party this year.)
What we’ve heard: Instead of working with Daniel again, White Rabbits deviated slightly from the It’s Frightening template by employing longtime Spoon producer Mike McCarthy. But the Spoon comparisons should probably stop there: Milk Famous is more evil-sounding than any record Daniel has ever made. Not that fans of It’s Frightening should expect anything too dramatic in terms of the record’s sound. Songs like “Everyone Can’t Be Confused” and “Temporary” feature skittering beats and guitars that turn from slinking to slashing on a dime. But as evidenced by the album’s opening track and first single “Heavy Metal,” Milk Famous has an uneasy dread embedded in its grooves.
Upon the first couple of listens, Milk Famous seems like a record that will take a while to fully sink in. Nothing is quite as grabby as the frenetic “Percussion Gun” from Frightening, though the noisy “I'm Not Me” comes close. Rather, this is a record in the mold of the hypnotic “Heavy Metal,” which is content to slowly stalk its prey before going in for the kill.
Have a listen: Check out the video for “Heavy Metal” below.