Release Date : 14th December 2020
Frightened Rabbit’s ‘The Winter Of Mixed Drinks’ turns ten this year and
in order to celebrate, FatCat Records release an Anniversary edition of
the LP. Boasting Ice Blue vinyl, the Anniversary edition also features a bonus 7”
featuring two previously unreleased live tracks, remixed and remastered
for this release. ‘The Winter Of Mixed Drinks’ was written over seven weeks in the
isolated but beautiful coastal town of Crail in Fyfe, Scotland, following
heavy touring in support of the band’s second album ‘The Midnight
Organ Fight’. Drummer Grant Hutchison stated “the location had a big
impact on the songs. There’s definitely a nautical theme to a lot of the
tracks and a feeling of testing yourself to the limit which the sea plays a
big part in.” The album was primarily recorded at Castle Sound Studios in Scotland,
with additional recording and production taking place at Tarquin Studios
in Connecticut, alongside their trusted producer Peter Katis. Upon release in March 2010, the album was greeted with widespread
critical acclaim, with Drowned in Sound praising frontman Scott
Hutchison, describing his performance as having “the same tremble in
the voice, the same elegance in the guitar tone, the same march of the
Military Tattoo in the rhythm – but a renewed purpose.” The Fly also praised Scott, claiming him to be “one of the most
underrated voices in rock,” going further stating, “what more could you
possibly want from Frightened Rabbit’s third album? They’re hurling
themselves fearlessly at the bright lights, and coming back all the
stronger for it.” The Guardian praised the album’s “sharp” songwriting, stating, “most of
their songs – with themes of escape, freedom and reinvention – have
huge impassioned choruses that are made to be shouted from the
nearest available mountain,” whilst the NME maintained the album to be
“stunning” and further wrote “for every song of heartache (‘Yes, I
Would’) and self-loathing (‘The Loneliness & The Scream’), there’s one of
redemption (‘FootShooter’) or hope (‘Swim Until You Can’t See Land’).
The album deviates from their previous alt-folkish sensibilities: the
fuzzed-up shoegazing of ‘Things’ and the anthemic chorus of ‘Living In
Colour’ herald an exciting new bullshit-free dawn.” This is an album that FatCat and all of those involved in its creation are
immensely proud of, as relevant and striking today as it was upon first
listen back at the dawn of a new decade ten years ago.
Tracklisting
‘The Winter Of Mixed
Drinks’ LP
Things
Swim Until You Can’t See
Land
The Loneliness and the
Scream
The Wrestle
Skip the Youth
Nothing Like You
Man/Bag of Sand
FootShooter
Not Miserable
Living In Colour
Yes, I Would
Bonus 7”
Things – Live at the
Roundhouse, London,
UK. December 7th, 2016
The Wrestle – Live at The
Grog Shop, Cleveland,
OH, USA. May 5th, 2010