You must be a masochist

'Is that you in front of me, coming back for even more of exactly of the same....'
Frightened Rabbit, The Modern Leper.
http://www.myspace.com/frightenedrabbit

Glasgow band Frightened Rabbit have exploded into my life and my heart at a crucial point in my 20-something existence. Firstly, they arrived at a point when my South African accent has subtly switched from saying Glaaaaasgow to the classier and infinitely more British Glahs-gow (and I now have occasion to show this off). Secondly, their self-loathing and desperate lyrics accurately relfect the barren landscape, the emotional ice-age of my era as a single woman living in London.

Where acts like Alphabeat and the Ting Tings have dizzied the British live music scene with their bright colours and ironic peppiness, bands like Frightened Rabbit bring back that which is essential to these here Isles...rain-soaked cracked, northern accented vocals that are as bitter as haggis and as disarmingly attractive as ginger hair.

The Modern Leper is the opener of their new album midnight Organ Fight. The song's quiet intro of lulling strumming and a secure drum(off)beat coaxes the most delicate of indies into what is ultimately a brazen bleeding heart rock anthem.

'You must be a masochist, to love a modern leper on his last leg.'

In honour of the modern leper I will list my top-five books (in no particular order) that rip my heart open:

1. A million little Pieces -by James Frey
2. Shantaram-Gregory David Roberts
3. A thousand splendid suns-Khalid Husseini
4. Life of Pi-Yann Martel
5. The curious incident of the dog at night time

This is a pretty standard top five list. Ugh, I promise there will be more and they will definately improve!