Frightened Rabbit - It's Christmas So We'll Stop

 

If Malcolm Middleton is in the running for Christmas number one, then Frightened Rabbit have every right to go all sentimental on their own seasonal single. Disappointingly, it does not feature the emotional cameo from Bono that they promised, but that's the only let-down: this tender tale of regret ("Forget the names I called you on Christmas Eve/In fact, forget the entire year") shows exactly why Frightened Rabbit's reputation is skyrocketing. Soaring above the gloom with the aid of a surprisingly un-naff choir, this is an absolute gem, both uplifting and melancholy, which is surely the embodiment of a Scottish Christmas. [Heather Crumley]