Frog Eyes

"Dense" is a pretty good summation of Frog Eyes' music ("impenetrable," would say detractors). That much hasn't changed on this, the Victoria, BC band's first new release in three years. The record opens with the nine-minute "A Flower and a Glove," which, while quickly reacquainting listeners with the mind of front-man Carey Mercer, also signals some subtle changes in the band's sound. Frog Eyes' music was always a visceral attack, from the guitars to Mercer's howl. Fifth time out though, the band are embracing a newfound sense of restraint, concentrating on texture and nuance. Mercer's voice feels more soulful than lupine and the guitars weave in an out of one another ― one creating a wave of warm distortion, the other firing single notes overtop. The sense of growth and maturity is relative, this is a Frog Eyes record, after all, but it's good to see that Mercer has picked up some pointers from his many collaborators and crafted yet another fabulous collection of tunes.