Scott Hrabko — Summer

Scott Hrabko, the Rabbits, and his excellent husky have returned with Summer. Hrabko’s got a penchant for mixing old-time-sounding music with 21st century sensibilities. Part of this is fate, I think — Hrabko’s voice is that silky baritone that’s as comfortable with lounge music as it is country swing and rockabilly crooners. I think that’s my favorite secret of Hrabko’s music — on the surface, it seems wholesome but is in fact something your kids should be a little older to listen to.

Take, for example, “The Ogre’s Waltz,” a truly epic reel of double entendre and bluntly blue language:


Oh, the skids were greased for my disgrace

The day that I was born

The doctor said, “This one goes out to

The fury of all women scorned.”

From the single girls of Dublin

To the whores of Tripoli

They all take off running

Soon as they recognize me


I was haunted and horny in Borneo, baby

In the heat and humility

I’ll sing no more of Singapore

Till I’m safely out to sea

Hated in Haiti by Lord and by Lady

An attempt was made on my soul

These two voodoo dolls led me down a long hall

Since then I’ve been digging this hole


I’m the ogre at the orgy

The fly in the anointment

The madman’s spiel

The lowlight reel

To your deepest disappointment

And it’s many a wretch like me

Down on my knees

Clearly, Hrabko’s got an acidic sense of humor, but it’s also his inventiveness for incongruous imagery that brings drive to music that’s otherwise quite relaxed. “Vertigo Girls” is easily one of my favorite opening verses out there:

There’s a blonde on the tracks

With no strings attached

She’s free to get up and leave

There hasn’t been a train

Pass through this way

Since 19 – something – and 3

In short, Hrabko’s a craftsman and a songwriter’s songwriter. Summer is a damn fine album and was well worth the two-year wait.
 

Scott Hrabko — Official, Facebook, Bandcamp, CDBaby, iTunes