White Rabbits

Too often, the term "pop" rightfully conjures images of hackneyed premises about love and longing and music too lacking in an individual sound to be more than cultural wallpaper. White Rabbits (from Brooklyn via Missouri) clearly dispensed with such refinements and forged songs that are thematically far-ranging and rich in tone, texture and dynamics. Judging by their debut album, 2007's Fort Nightly, the bandmembers seemed to set a challenge for themselves to write a collection of tunes that were each a solo experiment in songwriting. The recently released It's Frightening is no less ambitious an effort and further showcases the Rabbits' facility with deft lyrical phrasing, unorthodox melodies and unconventional rhythms. There's a lot of talk about certain bands being the "saviors of rock," but this sextet just might be the savior of pop.