Frog Eyes @ Rock and Roll Hotel
The Rock and Roll Hotel last night was not a crowded place. By all estimations, Frog Eyes should be drawing in a much larger crowd than they are. They adhere to a number of key categories: Canadian? Check. Indie? Check. Animal-themed name? Check. Frontman who's voice cracks? Check. Female drummer? check. Where they are lacking in fans, though, they are exceeding in super-fans. There were a number of intensely loyal fans breaking it down and screaming through each song. And it is this enthusiasm, coupled with the release of their most accessible album to date, that makes us think that Frog Eyes may still have a bigger fate in store.
The night started with Brooklyn-based newcomer Chris Garneau, delivering O.C.-soundtrack-worthy piano-pop melancholia. While at times his almost whispered delivery seemed childish, at others it had a beautifully rich tone which became even more pronounced as he belted out lyrics about loss and love, and more loss. The two cello players and understated drummer created a lush and tempered backdrop for his well-crafted pop songs. The next act up was Alex Delivery, a quintent also from Brooklyn, whose experimental music ranges from krautrock to shoegaze to freak-folk to post-rock. Like mad scientists on stage, they delivered a bizarre and high-intensity performance that got more than a few people in the audience dancing and a number of us intrigued enough to buy their first album, Star Destroyer.
Before we can delve into the Frog Eyes performance, we'll just go ahead and dispel any questions right now: no, Spencer Krug of Wolf Parade did not perform with them. Yes, he is a member of the band as a keyboardist and yes, was specifically mentioned in the billing. It's unclear if the billing was to tell us he was going to be playing with them, or just to note that he is in the band, but we wonder if it couldn't have been addressed more clearly here.
At the start of the show we discovered two things: one, that the band is very unassuming, and two, that frontman Carey Mercer is a bit of a comedian. To put it bluntly, Mercer essentially carries the band. While the three members besides Mercer play solidly, they don't have the same type of outward enthusiasm and exchanged apologetic looks as Mercer chatted and cracked jokes with the audience. While singing, Mercer seems to be possessed by his music and is transformed into a quaking, howling, sweating, musical madman. Throughout, his vocal control is astounding as he jumps in and out of falsetto and switches from delivering fast-paced lyrics to soaring and sometimes yelping choruses.
It is his voice (coupled with sporadic melody) that turn most people off from Frog Eyes' music. While at times Frog Eyes channels the best of Modest Mouse and Wolf Parade, at others, they take it to the next level and really challenge the listener's tolerance for tonal chaos. The most surprising thing about the live performance is how much more melodic Mercer's voice sounded than on his albums. Frog Eyes newer songs, including "Bushels," "Idle Songs," an intense "Evil Energy The Ill Truth..." and a hypnotic "Caravan Breakers, They Prey on the Weak and The Older," were much thicker and emotionally charged than some of their older material. The show closed with a kinetic version of "One in Six Children Will Flee in Boats," leaving the fans with a healthy dose of what makes Frog Eyes really stand out — intensity, showmanship and Mercer. In all, Mercer is a frontman to the Nth degree.
Photo from Frog Eyes' MySpace Page .