The Midnight Organ Fight

Infobox Album
Name = The Midnight Organ Fight
Type = Studio
Artist = Frightened Rabbit


Released = 15 April 2008
Recorded = Tarquin Studios
Diving Bell Lounge, Glasgow
2 Ruskin Place, Glasgow
38 White Street
Genre = Indie rock
Length =
Label = Fat Cat
Producer = Peter Katis
Frightened Rabbit
Reviews =
*Drowned In Sound rating-10|9 [http://www.drownedinsound.com/release/view/13186 link]
*NME rating-10|8
*Pitchfork (8.1/10) [http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/49604-midnight-organ-fight link]
*Q Rating|4|5
*Ragged Words Rating|5|5 [http://www.raggedwords.com/?q=node/624 link]
* Clash rating-10|7 [http://www.clashmusic.com/reviews/frightened-rabbit-midnight-organ-fight link]
* DIRTY rating-10|9 [http://www.dirtyzine.co.uk/content/view/501/2/ link]
Last album = "Sing the Greys"
(2006)
This album = "The Midnight Organ Fight"
(2008)
Next album = "Liver! Lung! FR!" (2008)
Misc = Singles
Name = The Midnight Organ Fight
Type = studio
single 1 = Head Rolls Off
single 1 date = March 3, 2008
single 2 = Fast Blood
single 2 date = May 26, 2008
single 3 = I Feel Better
single 3 date = September, 2008

"The Midnight Organ Fight" is the second studio album by Scottish indie rock band Frightened Rabbit, released April 15, 2008, on Fat Cat Records. Vocalist/guitarist Scott Hutchison describes the album as being "quite relationshipy" and "a lot more intense" than its predecessor "Sing the Greys". [http://thepopcop.blogspot.com/2007/08/theres-song-about-throwing-yourself-off.html The Pop Cop - on the beat of the Scottish indie music scene.: "There's a song about throwing yourself off the Forth Road Bridge. I've thought about it before." ] ] Following the album's completion, it took a month for Hutchison to be able to listen to it. [ [http://www.dirtyzine.co.uk/content/view/528/39/ Interview: Scott Hutchison - (Frightened Rabbit) 08.07.08 - DIRTY ] ]

Lyrically, Hutchison states that "most of the lyrics are pretty direct" and that the album "almost spells out what’s happened." However, Scott states that he tries "to leave the door open and the metaphors vague enough, so that people can get in there." [http://www.audioscribbler.co.uk/features/frightenedrabbit1.htm AudioScribbler.co.uk ] ]

The album's title comes from a line in the song "Fast Blood", and is said to be a "euphemism for sex." [http://www.godisinthetvzine.co.uk/content/content_detail.php?id=2620&type=Interviews]

Background and Recording

To record the album, the band stayed with producer Peter Katis for a month in Connecticut. Hutchison notes that:

"the benefit of recording in Bridgeport, Connecticut is there is nothing else to do but record. You’re focused 14 hours a day on just recording. From that standpoint it’s highly beneficial. I don’t want to go somewhere like New York and be like ‘oh there’s a bar across the street. Let’s just go there, just for lunch.’ And then you get back hammered. No, it was perfect."

Artwork

The artwork for the album is also done by Hutchison, who notes that he:

"wanted to make this piece of work… I know it’s not quite the same, but essentially… a way for people to see your work. Even though it’s an album cover and it doesn’t get treated the same way that art does. Some of my favorite images are album covers. Like the Factory stuff. I think it’s something you should take time over. It would be foolish of me to a) get someone else to do it and b) not try to put everything of me into this." [http://www.audioscribbler.co.uk/features/frightenedrabbit1.htm]

Other artist's opinions

Death Cab for Cutie bassist Nicholas Harmer cites that the album is his favourite 2008 release, stating: "It's lyrically perfect with words that hit you right in the heart. And coupled with the singer's [Scott Hutchison] vocals, the whole thing just kills me." [Rock Sound Magazine] The band would later go on to support Death Cab for Cutie on their November UK tour.

Track Listing

#"The Modern Leper" - 3:48
#"I Feel Better" - 2:51
#"Good Arms vs. Bad Arms" - 5:07
#"Fast Blood" - 3:48
#"Old Old Fashioned" - 3:43
#"The Twist" - 3:31
#"Bright Pink Bookmark" - 1:13
#"Head Rolls Off" - 3:44
#"My Backwards Walk" - 3:30
#"Keep Yourself Warm" - 5:33
#"Extrasupervery" - 1:18
#"Poke" - 4:36
#"Floating in the Forth" - 4:14
#"Who'd You Kill Now?" - 1:05

B-Sides
*"Set You Free" (Dale Longworth/Kevin O'Toole) - 3:35
*"Soon Go" - 4:26

Personnel

*Scott Hutchison - vocals, guitar, artwork
*Grant Hutchison - drums, vocals
*Billy Kennedy - guitar, keyboards
*Peter Katis - producer, engineer, mixing
*Jeremy Backoften - engineer
*Kevin McMahon - engineer
*Greg Giorgio - engineer, mixing assistant
*Markus MacKay - recorded "Poke"
*Alan Douches - mastering
*Dave Thomas - layout

External Links

[http://thepopcop.blogspot.com/2008/03/part-of-me-was-uncomfortable-with-how.html Track by Track account of the album]

References