Frog Eyes – Paul’s Tomb: A Triumph

Frog Eyes could be a quirky, squiggly-sounding indie rock band but for the vocals of Carey Mercer, whose ranting evokes an insane and mildly demonic David Bowie and lends a quality to the music that can only be described as “creepy.” Yet Frog Eyes’ creepiness has always been one of their strong points; while you’d never call a Frog Eyes album “catchy” you can almost always call it “compelling.” On Paul’s Tomb, though, there has been a shift. First, the music has been slightly tamed and Mercer sounds far less maniacal on most tracks. It might be seen as a move towards sanity if it weren’t for the fact that Mercer’s melodies are almost entirely without refrain; it’s as if Frog Eyes have picked upon through composition. The results might confound even more than before, since it’s hard to really remember entire songs. Instead, lyrical licks and instrumental phrases stand out throughout the album’s entire length. It’s no sing-along – in fact it’s hard to imagine how even Mercer remembers how the songs go. Still, the listening experience is filled with a twisted, dramatic dementia, and even a less maniacal Mercer still sounds like a mad preacher on the verge of lunatic tears. Compelling as always, just in slightly different ways, Frog Eyes are one of our strangest and most intriguing indie bands.