Release Date: July 15, 2003
Reviewed by Sonya Sutherland
Ken Andrews is one of those under-recognized singer/songwriter types. While grunge was still popular, Andrews fronted the critically acclaimed, publicly overlooked Failure. After that he moved on to help out on the Replicant’s self-titled projects and then yet on to another project, On. After which Andrews kept the drummer of On and has finally settled into the studio again for his newest project Year of the Rabbit.
The cool thing about the Year of the Rabbit is that it doesn’t just sound like another over produced studio record, which by the way, is a task record label land seems to have mastered. Instead, there is actually a live sort of feel to the recording. It has substance and texture that is missing from too many big name releases these days. Of course, the praise for Year of the Rabbit doesn’t end there. Andrew’s, as usual, does a great job on vocals. He has that Thom Yorke kind of voice that is a great vehicle for emotion and lies perfectly atop Year of the Rabbits musical stylings. Perhaps it is Ken Andrews’ grunge roots or the longevity of his career that places Year of the Rabbit a few notches higher than most records on the new releases rack. All of the tracks demonstrate superior composition skills and the sonic excellent that was found in great 90’s bands like Stone Temple Pilots and the Foo Fighters.
These guys basically pretend as if the mainstream influences of bands like Nine Inch Nails don’t exist. Instead, Year of the Rabbit hones in on where the mid 90’s rock fell off. Overall, the record it’s a pretty good listen if you are a fan of Failure, or if you simply desire melody and a well-written song.
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