White Rabbits came to me about a month ago when eMusic told me I’d like it. The first song I sampled, “The Plot,” was catchy but I had been burned before on countless crappy bands with one standout song that sucked me in. Reluctantly, I purchased the whole album expecting typical retro-nonsense.

Forty-one and half minutes later, I had egg on my face along with the big smile. Fort Nightly is the most enjoyable debut I have heard this year. It bristles with an energy and verve that is lacking in most music these days. The three song sequence of “The Plot,” “Dinner Party” and “Navy Wives” is 12 minutes of ska-infused joy.

I am not ready to place these guys on the same pedestal as The Specials, but this is a tremendous album that can potentially have the same impact that Franz Ferdinand’s debut did in 2004. Lets hope that White Rabbits have not peaked and that future efforts will continue to surprise and entertain.

White Rabbits - The Plot

White Rabbits - Kid On My Shoulders