Review: Frog Eyes – Paul’s Tomb: A Triumph
No, the members of Frog Eyes did not lack foresight when they agreed to subtitle this album “A Triumph.” Recorded live off the floor, Paul’s Tomb is Frog Eyes in complete control of the battlefield. Of course, frontman Carey Mercer (who now splits his time between Frog Eyes and his supergroup, Swan Lake) still struggles through each hard-won war cry, shooting what he calls “contrapuntal sharp blasts or hope” at anyone who dares to listen. The result is what is probably Frog Eyes’ most accessible album to date; and with an opening track (“A Flower in a Glove”) that surpasses nine minutes—not to mention Mercer’s characteristically cryptic lyrics howled at an inhuman pace—it’s really quite a feat. “Rebel Horns” has a thumping bass-driven hook that erupts into unrelenting walls of feedback, while “Violent Psalms” makes wonderful use of new band member Megan Boddy’s serene voice as a foil for Mercer’s affliction. Few fans of Frog Eyes will consider this album an equal to Mercer’s previous work (Folded Palm, anyone?), but Paul’s Tomb: A Triumph is another little victory for one of Canada’s most underrated bands. (Dead Oceans, www.deadoceans.com) Jonathan Dyck
Taking the stage on Austin City Limits this time are Drive-By Truckers. First of all, I’ll get the technical aspects out of the way; the visual quality is good. It looks nice on the big screen television at my house, and the audio quality is great in my home theatre system. You can hear every instrument being played in detail. But what you really want to hear about is the music. The Drive-By Truckers could have very easily stormed the stage, and unleashed a three-guitar southern rock attack that could have made the studio look like it was hit by a tornado when they were through, but instead they opt to do a slow-building set. They start off very soft, very folk rock, and then build up from there, reaching the peak in the middle with “Putting People on the Moon,” a seven-minute southern rock epic that Lynyrd Skynyrd would be proud of, and “Space City,” one of the best country ballads you’ll hear anywhere. This CD/DVD set made me a fan of Drive-By Truckers (even though the CD contains only half of the 26 tracks on the DVD). (New West Records, 
Three years was maybe a little too long for one of Montreal’s grandest rock bands to follow up their magnificent 
Collaborations like this always sound good in theory. Both great artists in their own right—Will Johnson, the largely unsung helmsman of Centro-Matic and South San Gabriel, and Jason Molina, the well-seasoned songwriter behind Songs: Ohia and Magnolia Electric Co.—Molina and Johnson should be an exercise in one-upmanship, a chance to push and be pushed. There are some worthy songs here and it’s hard not be intrigued with such a beautiful album cover. But apart from Johnson’s wistful “All Gone, All Gone” with Sarah Jaffe, the death-rattle duet of “Now, Divide,” and the duo’s most developed effort, “Almost Let You In,” the album is chock full of old fashioned molasses. Especially after the half-way point, it takes real effort to stay interested in the fractured piano/guitar template and the particularly unmemorable solos of “Lenore’s Lullaby” and “Each Star Marks A Day.” If Molina and Johnson took the time to explore some of the differences and dynamics between their respective approaches, this could have been an interesting record. Instead, echoing Johnson’s words, it sounds like these boys are “just passing through.” (Secretly Canadian, 
