STATE RADIO – Rabbit Inn Rebellion


Rabbit Inn Rebellion is the fourth release from Massachusetts’ State Radio, and their first since 2009. This inconsistent album sways between southern-influenced rock n’ roll and anthemic indie-rock, with the latter being pulled off much better than the former. The schizophrenia this album deals with is unfortunate. Songs such as opener “H.A.C.K.I.N.,” which relies exclusively on a cliché power-chord riff to support spoken vocals and a few average melodies in the chorus, and “Sugarbeet Wine,” which spastically switches between riffs you’d expect at The Zoo on a Wednesday and classic, quiet pop harmonies, drastically take away from the great parts on this album. “Take Cover” takes the listener through a haunting melody on top of distant guitar to a catchy-as-all-hell belted chorus, while “Adelaide,” a light hearted finger-snapping rock number, would fit in seamlessly within Canada’s indie-rock circuit. A politically charged record with many of the songs previously released as singles to benefit various initiatives, Rabbit Inn Rebellion has some great songs and some fantastic parts, which would shine much better on an EP devoid of the cheese-riffs. (Ruff Shod, stateradio.com) Darcy Penner

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