A recent favorite in my music collection has been White Rabbits. White Rabbits are known for their energy onstage, their switching of instruments, and cover songs, notably Bob Dylan’s “Maggie’s Farm”, which was also covered by one of the band’s main influences, The Specials. Typically they will put their own twist on cover songs by playing them in a style/genre that is different from the original. After playing a particularly energetic show at South By Southwest in 2008, NME named them one of the top three bands performing that year.

Today someone sent me some information about they’re latest effort with a link to some streaming .mp3 of their newest song, “Foxhunting.”

On “Foxhunting,” the two [leads, Greg Roberts and Stephen Patterson] trade off verses and during this chase scene, through the garden and the branches, we’re left panting, our heart rates escalating into unfriendly palpitations, where we’re on edge and full of suspense. Patterson sings, “The sky’s as dark as the ocean and all the hounds are waiting there for me,” his voice dipping for the final two words of the lyric, as if he’s come out of the clearing and seen the gang of rabid dogs patient and ready to pounce. Their fangs are bare and they’re foaming at the sides of their gums, the white fervor dripping down to the ground like the cream of an over-filled latte. It’s a song that’s supposed to make you feel as if you’re going out of your mind as they sing to this paranoia later in the song, “But I’m afraid you’re wrong/You’re still in your front lawn,” as if there’s really no getting away from any of the most frightening things that are standing over us.

You can hear the streaming bits over at Daytrotter.com and of course get more info on tour dates and photos at the band’s official site.

Enjoy and let me know what you think about this.

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