Interview: Frightened Rabbit And The Dangers Of Being Personal
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The music of Frightened Rabbit is driven and grand, intimate and introspective.
Strung across atmospheric guitars and keys you'll find a glimpse into the heart and mind of lead singer Scott Hutchison - filling five albums with cathartic and honest writing on relationships and personal struggles. It has made the Scottish band a standout in a sea of indie outfits, but it's also taken a toll on the soul-bearing Hutchison.
"Certainly I know I've caused some hurt it doing that" he admits about the revealing nature of Frightened Rabbit's songs. "I do write songs because I have trouble saying these things in conversation, or have trouble communicating effectively how I feel."
"I don't want to celebrate that necessarily. I don't think that's like a great thing to do, I wouldn't recommend it to anyone else, but I have occasionally just felt like I didn't have choice" Hutchison describes a few hours before their show at Electric Factory in Philadelphia. "Would I take being a better communicator in real life and a more successful person in my relationships? Would I take that instead of being able to write songs? I don't actually know, but I think about it sometimes"
The band's latest album, Painting Of A Panic Attack, finds Hutchison grappling with a move to Los Angeles with his girlfriend at the time and his feelings of isolation in a new city. Behind the guitar-driven anthemic sounds of songs like "Get Out" though, are some very real experiences with parties perhaps not as open to sharing as Scott.
This brand of confessional rock has made Painting Of A Panic Attack one of Frighten Rabbit's best collections so far, but it also has him rethinking his approach.
"I have to consider, there are two people involved in this whole thing, and for me to then take that without permission" wonders a thoughtful Hutchison. "It's something that I'm sort of thinking about a lot more."
Much like the music of Frightened Rabbit itself, there's a complex relationship at the center of how it all comes together. It weighs on the mind of Hutchison, but delights those that filled the Factory later that night.
"It's an interesting question to pose to myself. What if I'm happy?" he asks. "What kind of record does that make?"
To hear more from Scott Hutchison of Frightened Rabbit, listen to the full interview below or watch the video here.
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