White Rabbits - Fort Nightly

Fort Nightly, the new album by the New York-based outfit White Rabbits, cuts straight through the smog that's been polluting rock for the past several years. It's got all the pulse and creativity that has been missing from the bands currently dominating the airwaves. The Rabbits hit you hard from the jump on this one—the opening track, "Kid On My Shoulders" is a thumping, riot of tune that sets off the record like a roman candle. The rest of the album is a musical journey that weaves its way through punk, folk and infectiously global grooves. In a few songs, like the hypnotic "March of the Camels," the band dances back and forth between Middle Eastern and ska vibes, layering bouncy guitar licks over rolling drum beats. It's a celebration of sounds that very few musicians can pull off—and the Rabbits clearly know how to stir the pot just right. A band hasn't been able to rock the kasbah like this in quite some time. [www.myspace.com]