Southampton’s Dead Rabbits are one of the fans favourites in the neo-psychedelic scene and having released two previous albums on Fuzz Club Records, the announcement that their third LP, Everything Is A Lie, is due for release on 5th September 2016 is welcome news.
Formed in 2011 by Tom Hayes and Neil Atkinson who assume guitar and vocal duties, they then recruited Colin Fox on bass, Suzanne Sims on drums and Paul Seymour on keys. They are a frequent fixture on the live scene, with countless gigs and tours under their belt in both the UK and Europe. However with a lengthy two year release absence since last album TimeIsYourOnlyEnemy, this release is long overdue in the hearts of many and eagerly anticipated.
Opening with the title track, ‘Everything Is A Lie’ is a nod to the shoegaze greats and would have no trouble sitting happily alongside Spacemen 3 or My Bloody Valentine in any jukebox. The unmistakable vocals of Tom gleam through strongly as the guitars, leaden with fuzz drive the sound. There is an underlying sway to the music, a tribute to the quality of its production. ‘Honestly’ is tasked with following that opening, and it does so in style. A prevalent bass line, harmonic keys and a driving drum beat are the order of the day, giving the track an edgy feel whilst still channelling what has affectionately become known as ‘psych-gaze’ at its most honed.
The first single to come from the album, ‘Get Me Over There’, is a mixture of shoegaze, neo-psych and post-punk vibes blended seamlessly. The vocals croon whilst washed-out guitars and whirling bass lines proceed mercilessly. ‘Someday’ offers a different vibe to its predecessors and is the stand out track of the album for the same reason. The minor key creates a sombre atmosphere, whilst Tom’s deliberately off key vocals create the perfect contrast. This is the Dead Rabbits sound that fans have come to know and love and is strongly reminiscent of tracks on their first album The Ticket that Exploded, released in 2013.
Second single ‘All Your Little Lies’ presents a heavier opening segment than we are used to and continues in this style, the lyrics are less drawl, more melody – an interesting, refreshing take on things for a band who have become associated with a certain sound. ‘I Don’t Want To Die Today’ places a heavier focus on the keys elements whilst the guitar riffs purr in the background with fuzz whirring driving the track. A catchy drum beat and probing bass line complete the sound.
The effervescent ‘That Was Then but This Is Now’, with its repeated riffs creates a haunting sway, further enhanced by noisy inter loops and swirling vocals. There is a lot to listen to take in in this track and it in itself requires a few repetitions in order to appreciate the beauty of what is going on. Concluding ‘You Already Know’ has been a fixture in their live set for some time now, the recorded version is a somewhat different beast with the noise fuzz opening captured perfectly.
It has been sometime in the making, but Dead Rabbits have raised the bar once again and proven why they are such a prominent presence in the psych world. This album is no less than one would expect from such a fine tuned machine, fans of the band will be enraptured and it will also draw a new set of listeners, especially those with any kind of shoegaze inclination.
The LP will be released on limited edition deluxe and standard vinyl and digital download. The vinyl is available for pre-order now: http://fuzzclub.com/products/dead-rabbits-everything-is-a-lie-deluxe-vinyl
