The name Dirty Little Rabbits might sound familiar to some of you out there who have been following everything in the music scene that’s Slipknot-related. Because this quintet from Johnston, Iowa, indeed features the famous percussionist/drummer Shawn Crahan in its ranks. That being said, enough ‘bout Slipknot. We’re talking ‘bout DLR here, a band with quite a unique sound and a very capable singer. A band that has a whole different face than…well you know! Let’s see what debut EP Simon is all about.

Contrary to many other CDs that start with instrumental songs or intros, Simon sets the perfect tone right away with ‘Poor Poor Woman With Her Head In The Oven’. The keys are very prominent and the song is just a nice instrumental way to prepare you for what’s yet to come. Well, what is yet to come then? It’s five very (read: very!) catchy songs, all stuffed with tempo changes, sweet melodies, raw rock ‘n roll sounds and female vocals that range from high, almost desperate-like vocals to low rocking vocals. This woman knows what she’s doing and she’s doing it great! Kinda like Amanda Palmer (The Dresden Dolls) on drugs or something.

Music wise, Dirty Little Rabbits reminds me of System of a Down. Now, I’m probably the very first - and last - reviewer that compares these two bands but don’t get distracted by that, please. I’m not saying the music is the same, I basically just mean the huge contrast between sweet, melodic, soft rock parts and the heavy and raw outbursts. All of a sudden these cute small animals transform into rock monsters…and back!
Man, do you get the point here or am I really talking nonsense right now? If so, I’d like to apologize for doing so but the thing is, I can’t come up with a description that fits better. Anyway, to get a bit of an idea you better listen to this stuff (try ‘I’m So Beautiful’ first for the SOAD-comparison).

What it basically comes down to is this: Dirty Little Rabbits is a damn fine band with a damn fine vocalist. They play music you won’t hear too often and with Simon they’ve proven themselves a worthy addition to the world of music. At least, that’s what I think of it. Some will hate it for sure. But the fact is, it’s something different and it’s something that sticks in your head for a long time. Play it once and without a doubt you’ll be singing along the second time.