Audio By Carbonatix
In the diverse realm of literary indie rock—inhabited by bands such as Okkervil River, Mountain Goats, Centro-matic, Rock Central Plaza and the Decemberists —Frog Eyes’ tales of wrath and ruination/rumination may be the most difficult to decipher. On Tears of the Valedictorian, which follows the Victoria, British Columbia, quartet’s enigmatic trilogy (The Bloody Hand, The Golden River, The Folded Palm), Carey Mercer’s fragmented rhetoric rummages through Roman ruins via the jagged guitar structures of Crazy Horse-era Neil Young and the Pixies’ post-punk as the gaiety of his vocals manifests in syllabic slurs and tribal yelps. The album, which again features Wolf Parade’s Spencer Krug, who joined Mercer and Destroyer’s Dan Bejar in Swan Lake last year, cradles the cataclysmic with piercing piano rhythms and bombastic drums, courtesy of Mercer’s wife Melanie Campbell, in a personal quest toward unadulterated freedom. Openers Alex Delivery recently released their debut, Star Destroyer, a cosmic concoction of musique concrète and krautrock, while Dallas’ spastic and surprising rockers the Tah-Dahs perform with tongues lodged permanently in cheek.
Will you step up to support Dallas Observer this year?
We’re aiming to raise $30,000 by December 31, so we can continue covering what matters most to you. If the Dallas Observer matters to you, please take action and contribute today, so when news happens, our reporters can be there.
