Revolving around the supposed Royal Order of Rabbits, the Californian trio Gram Rabbit’s debut is one of intrigue, beauty and, above all, the occult.After a couple of tracks it becomes apparent that Gram Rabbit are a band who refuse to stay in one place for too long. From the dark folk-country of the opening track through the murky synth of Disco#2 to the fuzzy stadium rock of New Energy, Gram Rabbit prove themselves to be equally adept at each of their chosen styles.
The shadowy spaghetti-Western twang of Dirty Horse is an immediate highlight, while Cowboys & Aliens is a Rapture-esque dancefloor stomper. Devil’s Playground is a tumbleweed-choked country hymn that depicts the struggle of everyday life.
And then there’s the dreamlike commentary on the culture of violence that is Kill A Man, a track that would sound right at home alongside some of Ennio Morricone’s soundtrack work.
It would be easy to dismiss this whole thing as tongue in cheek curio but I & suseJ - a track played entirely in reverse - and the monastic chanting that lies of the conclusion of Land of Jail give some indication that Gram Rabbit take this cult thing seriously. And, of course, at the helm is the bewitching and seductive Jesika von Rabbit. You can’t help but admire their dedication.
You’ll probably hear more immediately appealing albums but don’t be put off by the sunstroked weirdness, this is a real gem.
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