(Small Note : I couldn't find the cover art online and my scanner is being wonky, but trust me, the artwork is gorgeous. It's all done by the vocalist and he's a really super talented artist.)
Frog Eyes are from Vancouver, Canada which is interesting only in that Vancouver's water should be checked. When one area of land gives us two amazing bands, Destroyer and Frog Eyes, that's pretty incredible, and then when you add on some lesser, but still completely wonderful bands like Jerk With a Bomb and the Organ to name just two out of the 10 or so left, you have reason to really test that water for some sort of greatmaking property or superior songwriting chemical. Sure New York has lots of bands, and San Francisco too, but Vancouver? Come on, honestly, it has to be the water.
The Golden River is the band's second full length. Their debut was an amazing album titled The Bloody Hand out last year on Global Symphonic records from, you guessed it, Vancouver. The Golden River is a split between Global Symphonic and Animal World Records, representing Canada and our fair (?) country respectively.
The vocals hit first. That first 3 or 4 seconds you're lost and then Carey comes in with, "O-o-o-oh, silver gnomes, all in my dome." Completely out of control and expressive and slightly scary sometimes, it's like the man yelling at you about the end of the world discovered he could sing his woes and tales instead of just yelling. All ups and downs, drawling with slurred words. It's completely over the top, but not melodramatic, just outrageous in a positive sense. Trust me, it fits perfectly.
The lyrics are pure fantasy. I'm convinced he chooses some of these words and phrases for the sounds they make as opposed to their meaning. They tell a story without a plot or point, and the images are beautiful and confusing. It's all this rambling, semi-drunken mess, incoherent but not complete gibberish.
The music itself is gorgeous and full. The most striking thing is the distortion covering EVERYTHING. It's this HUGE fuzzy sound, warm and inviting, it easily triples the sound of everything. Frog Eyes tend to find their groove and stick to it, but there are exceptions, I'll deal with those first. They only really do anything like "rocking out" for two tracks, "Time Reveals it's Plan at Poison Falls" and "World's Greatest Concertos." "Time Reveals" is an almost Beefheart-ian honky tonk romp complete with pianos and the overpowering front man spouting his tales. "World's Greatest Concertos" is two minutes of pure, driving bliss. It erupts immediately and doesn't let up for the full two minutes till Carey's voice hits the high note, holds it for ten or so seconds and immediately launches into the next track. "Orbis Magnes" is a quiet track. Subdued, almost whispering vocals set over a slowly moving glacier of guitars and feedback. The rest though are mid-tempo and steady. It might sound boring to some, but it works here and to be honest is probably necessary. Instead of running all around the tempo range, Frog Eyes have found their home. These songs need time to expand, time to reveal themselves. And you, the listener, need the time to explore what's going on here. I mean, these songs are filled with layer upon layer of sound, from the droning fuzz on top of everything, to the muted drums, to the slight piano plinkings on some tracks to the chiming and insistent guitars. And then when you add in the vocals, you've got easily 10 to 15 listens before you get it all in your head. The one complaint I've heard people level at this band is that it runs together, and they're right at first. Especially if it's your first time hearing the band. My first listen was on the radio and I heard one track and was intrigued. When I bought the album though, I was unimpressed on first listen. Sure it was nice, but it really did seem to run together. It was easily three full listens before I really got into it. Frog Eyes, like some of the best music in the world, takes time and attention and some work on the part of the listener. It doesn't run together once you pay attention. Once you pay attention it opens up completely.
As an interesting aside and somewhat of a personal plug, if you want just a taste of some of their most accessible songs I highly recommend Frog Eyes' most recent 7". A concise little 4 song piece of wax out on the new and already completely essential label Soft Abuse, out of Tallahassee, FL. (I do the website, which will be up in full in the next week or so.) The songs on the 7" are some of the most rockin' things they've put to tape.
But back to the album. For anyone who's still completely lost, I'll go ahead and give some "recommended if you like"s. I hate these comparisons, because they can be so subjective, but regardless, here are some that my friends and I agree on. Imagine a more patient Jonathan Fire Eater, or something like the Walkmen, or a more worldly and less Appalachian 16 Horsepower.
This record will easily end up in my top ten for the year as their last record did. I'm totally convinced there's something in that water.
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