Like some sort of bohemian troubadours for the 21st century, Pepper Rabbit, the band formed by Xander Singh and Luc Laurent, has been able to pull from their shared experiences to create something altogether unique and brilliant. Their debut album Beauregard (to be released this fall on Kanine Records) plays like a patchwork quilt woven from their adventures, whether it be featuring the horn section from a Bayou funeral procession or a chord progression borrowed from Southeast Asia.
Introduced by a mutual acquaintance, Laurent initially signed on as drummer for Singh’s solo project. Their first shows together took place in India, where Singh’s parents had relocated. During the trip the two realized a sort of musical chemistry, though upon returning to the states, a sudden change in Singh’s plans, the decision not to attend college, sent him moving around the country looking for a place to settle down.
Singh was eventually drawn to New Orleans by a producer/friend to lay down what he still considered to be his solo record. But it wasn’t long before he called on Laurent to record as a drummer. The duo would meet up intermittently in New Orleans to record throughout 2008 and part of 2009.
Traveling to and from New Orleans left an impact on Singh, whom recorded the melodies before the lyrics. Songs like Beauregard and Babette! are based on stories from the people Singh encountered, while the overall sentiment on the album might be summed up by the overall rebirth and hope permeating from this post-Katrina setting.
During the recording process, Singh had settled in Los Angeles. Laurent eventually joined him on the West Cost so the two could start playing out under the moniker Pepper Rabbit.
Musically, Pepper Rabbit might fall between American experimental indie bands like Beirut and Neutral Milk Hotel, but one listen to Beauregard, immediately sets them apart. Weaving banjos, trumpets, warm electric guitars, pianos, ukuleles, pounding drums, clarinets, and the subtle tones of Xander’s voice, Pepper Rabbit constructs complex yet unabashedly pop, mini-masterpieces.
The echoing desert rock of “Red Wine” evokes the wrenching harmonies of Sparklehorse without the heartbreak; “Harvest Moon” hits you like part New Orleans voodoo ritual, part soothing midnight serenade. The emotions the band is able to convey with the tools of their music are downright astonishing.
Embarking on several west coast tours, the duo – often joined by a third musician – honed their live show, which incorporates an array of instruments as well as samplers.
When Beauregard is released later this year, the underground buzz that has been building is sure to reach fever pitch. The world is a big place, but you get the feeling that Pepper Rabbit have only begun exploring, and experiencing, its many wonders.
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