CD of The Week

What at first sounded like an sharp left turn from Brooklyn-via-Missouri's White Rabbits, "Heavy Metal," the opening track on Milk Famous, sets up the rest of their third album with its thick bass groove, atmospheric looping, and Steven Patterson's delicate falsetto.

Fans of the more familiar White Rabbits sound will be pleased with the second track, "I'm Not Me," "Everyone Can't Be Confused" and the hybrid second single, "Temporary." While those songs, and that distinct sound are still apparent on Milk Famous, there's been a significant shift in their sound and their confidence as a band. The band seems to allow themselves to work through each track organically rather than adhering to a specific song structure.

"Heavy Metal" is a great descriptor for this album, in a literal sense rather than conjuring those familiar images of long hairs in black clothing in the Norwegian mountain side. There's a post-punk, industrial feel to the rhythm of this record that conjures Gang of Four in the strongest way. Another major influence for the band, The Specials, are a subtly apparent throughout all of their work. It's hard to deny the influence that their ties with Spoon has had on their sound. Spoon frontman Britt Daniel produced 2009's It's Frightening and Spoon's longtime producer worked on this record.

White Rabbits are great at paying homage to their influences without it completely overwhelming their sound as a band. Milk Famous is an exciting growth record for the band, and I'm excited to see where this next step takes them. Give this record the time it deserves; it'll grow on you.