White Rabbits - Fort Nightly (2007)

From the first notes of the album it is clear what we're dealing with here. This is a n indie rock album from the 00s. It wasn't that apparent at the time, but that decade's indie rock had a very particular sound that now in hindsight seems almost too unified and it could've done with a bit more diversity. Then again, I was a big fan of this recipe at the time and I haven't lost all my appreciation for it, even if it does sound a bit boring from time to time. I don't remember exactly how I found White Rabbits, but I remember being very impressed about the opening song Kid On My Shoulders when I first heard it. It has an intensive, almost menacing riff throughout and it's one of very few songs that have drawn me in with its rhythm, rather than melody. It took me a while to discover the whole album, but when I noticed that it wasn't just a one hit deal, even though, that one is still probably my favourite.

As I already mentioned, White Rabbits drew me in with the rhythm. There are a few indie rock groups from the 00s that have had similar focus on the rhythm, most notably TV on the Radio. Both of these bands come from New York City. As I've mentioned many times before, I'm a fool for melodies and that's probably why it took me a bit longer to get excited about these bands. Then again, now looking back, these bands have stood the time a lot better than many other bands from that era, precisely, because there's something different in their set up. One of the things that sets White Rabbits apart from the other bands of their time is their use of piano. It's not just overdriven electric guitars. The piano gives it personality.

The album starts with already mentioned song Kid On My Shoulders, which, in its shamanistic intensity, is still probably my favourite song on the album. The drumming and the evil piano riff in this song are fantastic, only to be intensified by the raspy vocals and dirty guitars that keep enough pauses to sound effective when they come in. The Plot is the most obvious hit song on the album. This song reminds me of so many bands of the mid-00s, such as Maximo Park and Modest Mouse. Even if there is huge hit potential with this song, it being so similar to so many other bands, it loses some of its potential from today's perspective. Back in the day when I bought the album, this was one of my definite favourite songs. Dinner Party brings a certain absurdity to the sounds. At first it sounds a bit hollow, but when all the instruments finally come in, there's a certain explosive power in it. I really like the low saxophones in the song. Navy Wives sounds somehow lighter, even if it has the same intensive drumming style as the previous songs. While We Go Dancing takes on similar kind of menacing atmosphere as the opening song. The chorus however, sounds very light in comparison when the more uplifting chords come in. I Used to Complain, Now I Don't have once again, excellent drums. I like the use of toms with authentic sounds. The melody is a bit boring though. Take a Walk Around the Table has a nice marching rhythm that reminds me of some other indie rock acts of the time. The chorus melody is quite fantastic. March of the Camels is a very special and very strange song that has some similarities in 80s gothic rock bands such as The Cure. The title track Fort Nightly continues in similar vein. These two songs are probably the least interesting on the album. I guess it's down to the fact that bands don't necessarily have that many hits available for their debut albums. The last song is called Reprise, which is basically just a strange drunken version of Kid On My Shoulders.

In a true indie rock debut album style, the music video for The Plot has a very low budget music video. It has some fast forward images of driving in New York City and from a tour in different locations, such as in the mountains, in the fields and beaches. There is also some live footage from the band's gigs. So, the video is not that interesting, but at least it's a nice way to get a sense of the band's music.

I don't think White Rabbits is that well known even in the indie circles. This debut album got really good reviews from reviewers like Pitchfork, but I don't think many people really know this band. It goes to show that talent doesn't guarantee fame in this time and age. A couple of years after I had discovered the band, I noticed that they had released their second album. I was quite excited as I felt like this band had lots of potential, but unfortunately, the second album wasn't that interesting at all. The music on that album sounded much more generic than the debut album and as a result, I lost interest in the band. It might be that the band was disappointed that they didn't gain fame with their first album and they tried to confirm to the style of the time more strictly, which actually just made them less interesting. It's a shame really. Still, the debut album is a good piece of music that won't hopefully be completely forgotten.

Listen to the album on Spotify.