Thursday 27 May 2010



A flower in a glove

(photo: Shawn Macdonald)

By this time next week, the doors will have been closed on eligibility for the 2010 Polaris Music Prize, and the first round of balloting to determine the 40 album Longlist will be under way.  Around this time last year I was in a mad scramble to hear as many records as I possibly could in order to make my decision, but this time out I’ve had the benefit of a year’s worth of knowing consideration, and feel that I’m well positioned to name my favourite albums of the past year.  Whether the other judges agree with me is another matter.

That being said, I’m still keeping my eye on the latest crop of releases vying for a spot (or not) on the Polaris list.  Between the new Gord Downie album (blah) and the new Crystal Castles album (yeah) sits Paul’s Tomb: A Triumph, the fifth full length from Frog Eyes.  Although I’ve always been aware of Carey Mercer’s band of merry noisemakers (through his connections to Dan Bejar and Spencer Krug), I’ve never really paid the Frog Eyes catalogue any attention.  When a few of my fellow judges began singing the praises of Paul’s Tomb… I decided that it deserved a listen.  Fans of Mercer’s work in Swan Lake, and of his friends in Sunset Rubdown and Destroyer won’t be disappointed, but for the novice listener who likes their melodies mulched and their guitars shredded, Paul’s Tomb… is going to be a triumphant addition to your collection for sure.  It took a couple listens to get through the dense arrangements and idiosyncrasies in the music, but once you’re there, you’ll realize that this is a treasure trove of treats just waiting to be discovered.

Frog Eyes will be on tour from late May through June, hitting Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal on June 15, 16, and 17 respectively.  Paul’s Tomb: A Triumph is out now on Dead Oceans.

MP3: Frog Eyes “A Flower in a Glove”
MP3: Frog Eyes “Lear In Love”
Myspace: Frog Eyes





by J. Di Gioia | Comments Off

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