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
Winnipeg music & culture since 1989