After a tough couple years, the Canadian excitable, indie-dancie, post-punky band known as You Say Party! has decided to take a break. From the blips and bleeps I've heard of them over the last few years, I always knew that I would love them, but I just hadn't made the concerted effort to superfanny on them. I always figured I'd get to it next time they came to town.

Now they've beat me to the punch and announced they are going on an indefinite hiatus. Hmm... I guess that gives me plenty of time to get up to speed in time for their reunion show in a few years.

This has also inspired me to catch up on some other bands I've taken a back seat on, even though I know I'll love them (or at least that's what the similarity charts tell me). Watch out Frightened Rabbit and Crystal Stilts... I'm coming after you!

Who have you been meaning to dive into lately?

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Frightened Rabbit is the biggest and best indie.large-guitar.sadsound that you'll find touring this side of the pond. Period.

Outside of a run-in with fellow Scotlanders We Were Promised Jetpacks, who lean more to the indie.large-guitar.angry.sadsound side of chart, there's really no comparison between Frightened Rabbit and other bands out there today. Epic, heart-in-a-meatgrinder lyrics meet vocals that range from anthematic to sparse, as the songs themselves seem to dictate. Add two parts big-bodied electric, the occasional stripaway acoustic track, and a whole lot of livin' where the sun stays sparse kind of vibe -- and you've got one of our favorite bands, no questions asked.

If by some stroke of bad luck you're not familiar with these chaps, check out their discography here -- we're particularly in hearts with The Midnight Organ Fight, but the new album is just as swoon-tastic -- and catch frontman Scott Hutchison covering the Lemonheads (I know, right?) for the AV Club Underground sessions here.

Convinced yet? Come see for yourself! Frightened Rabbit will be playing at the Showbox this Thursday, October 7th with Plants and Animals. Tickets are $17.50 adv, $20.00 DOS and are available here.

We'll see you at the show!

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So if you're anything like me, you're just about done hemmorhaging from missing the Frightened Rabbit / We Were Promised Jetpacks Show -- and yes, it's deemed deserving of a capital 'S' -- over a year ago at Neumos. All Scots, all rage, and more big-guitar sad-bastard than you could possibly shake a stick (or several sticks, for that matter) at.

Well, the lovely folks at Neumo's have decided to give us ample chance to make up for missed opportunity. The first knock came when We Were Promised Jetpacks played with the Lonely Forest recently, ripping our eardrums out in the loveliest of ways a few months ago, and the second is coming this Sunday when Frightened Rabbit takes the stage with Maps and Atlases.

We could insert a gush here about how de-lovely the band is, or how much the new album they're touring behind -- The Winter of Mixed Drinks -- is nothing short of sweet perfection and a near-flawless follow-up to The Midnight Organ Fight, or how much we'd like to throw a party to thank whomever managed to wrangle poor Scott Hutchison's heart so perfectly -- but instead, we'll just let you soak up some of the goodness for yourself:

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The top 10 albums "that made my head spin (in a good way)" from Chop Suey booker Pete Greenberg.

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