i have a crush on frightened rabbit.

There's a lot more than music that goes into my undying support for a band. There's a basic need for me to dig your tunes, but they don't necessarily have to be the melody of my heart. I tend to support bands that exhibit great character and kindness. Take Guster for example. Their albums are well constructed with happy simple melodies. By no means will Guster ever change the face of music, but forever they'll remain one of my favorites for their down-to-earth personalities and humanitarian contributions (check out reverb.com). I'd say a solid 40% of my rational behind purchasing a concert ticket comes from my feelings on the individuals in the band. For instance, I could listen to only Ryan Adams for a month, but I have absolutely no desire to ever pay for a concert ticket to see the guy. Stories from friends and media paint the picture of royal jerk. There's no reason I want to financially support him, even if he possesses great talent.

This brings me to the kings of my musical admiration - Frightened Rabbit. These four gentlemen (well, five today) hail from the fair land of Felkirk, Scotland. Out of the cultures I've experienced, I argue that Scottish people exhibit the most kindness, and Frabbits are no exception. Their friendly, humble stage banter deepens my love for their music and makes me want to personally contribute to their success.

On top of their kindness, humility, and Scottishness, a few more traits give them a lead for the band I support most. Studying in Scotland first introduced me to their music, so I hear the wind brushing the trees on top of Dumyat and glasses clinking at Studio (my uni's campus bar) when I hear "The Midnight Organ Fight". Frabbits and I also share mutual friends. And the cherry on top of their awesomely-kind sundae was the impromptu interview their lead singer offered me at Pitchfork Music Festival (see http://kwanderlust.blogspot.com/2010/04/sweet-summer-melodic-memories-pitchfork.html). Scott not only dropped all of his commitments to sit down with some nobody student DJ, but he seemed grateful for the opportunity. During the interview, he expressed an enjoyment in activities that take time like writing & recording an album, cheese making, and beer brewing. I admire his dedication to process.

My love for Frightened Rabbit genuinely exceeds all other bands. I love their music, the memories their albums evoke, their values, humility and kindness. Plus, all five are pretty cute. (Maybe it's my accent bias.) Yes, I have a crush on Frightened Rabbit.