82. Frightened Rabbit – Pedestrian Verse

Finest Worksongs

With his band Frightened Rabbit, Scottish songwriter Scott Hutchison created anthems for the lonely and the cynical -- yet they were songs of hope. Hutchison took his own life in May 2018, yet his legacy -- and impact -- lives on. The band's 2013 album, "Pedestrian Verse," captures the essence of what made the group so spectacular. (It was also the first offering by the band to include songwriting efforts by all of its members.) Songs like "Backyard Skulls" and "Late March, Death March" continue to tackle darker themes -- but with Hutchison's knack for cheekiness and cleverness, while "Nitrous Oxide" and "State Hospital" (among others) speak to the pervasive darkness and escapism that seemed to envelope him. "How can I talk of life and warmth?" Hutchinson sings on the final track, "The Oil Slick." He adds: "I've got a voice like a gutter in a toxic storm." That's a tad harsh, but that's how self-deprecating he was. Hutchison's voice gave hope -- and community -- to many.

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