Frog Eyes
Encyclopedia
Frog Eyes is an indie rock
band from Victoria
, British Columbia
, Canada
known for their highly idiosyncratic songs, which pit Carey Mercer
's melodic falsetto whoops against an avalanche of guitar, keyboards, piano, and drums. Their 2010 album Paul's Tomb: A Triumph was a longlisted nominee for the 2010 Polaris Music Prize
. The band is in rotation
on CBC Radio
.
. Drummer Melanie Campbell and Mercer are married, and are Frog Eyes' only two permanent members. Campbell is originally from Penticton, British Columbia
, as is former member Spencer Krug
.
Mercer's prior band Blue Pine, which also included member Michael Rak, released two records, although the second Blue Pine remained unreleased during the band's existence, instead being released as a bonus album appended to the reissue of Frog Eyes' debut, The Bloody Hand
. Mercer also has a solo project, Blackout Beach, and has released two albums (Light Flows the Putrid Dawn and Skin of Evil) and one single on Soft Abuse. Different versions of three Blackout Beach songs appear on Frog Eyes releases.
Frog Eyes performed with Destroyer
in live shows and on Dan Bejar
's album Notorious Lightning & Other Works
. This collaboration led to the formation of Swan Lake
, a "songwriter's project" with Dan Bejar
of Destroyer/The New Pornographers
and Spencer Krug
of Sunset Rubdown
/Wolf Parade
. Frog Eyes performed at Wavelength #177 in August 2003 (Wavelength Music Arts Projects
).
On April 26, 2010, Frog Eyes released their fifth full-length studio album, Paul's Tomb: A Triumph
, in the UK. It was released a day later in the US. It is the band's first release on Bloomington, Indiana
indie label Dead Oceans
.
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
band from Victoria
Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria is the capital city of British Columbia, Canada and is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of about 78,000 within the metropolitan area of Greater Victoria, which has a population of 360,063, the 15th most populous Canadian...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
known for their highly idiosyncratic songs, which pit Carey Mercer
Carey Mercer
Carey Mercer is a Canadian musician and English teacher best known for his work as lead singer of the indie rock band Frog Eyes and his work in Swan Lake. He has an additional solo project called Blackout Beach. Once, when on tour with Sum 41 , Mercer fell off stage and bruised his tailbone at a...
's melodic falsetto whoops against an avalanche of guitar, keyboards, piano, and drums. Their 2010 album Paul's Tomb: A Triumph was a longlisted nominee for the 2010 Polaris Music Prize
2010 Polaris Music Prize
The 2010 edition of the Canadian Polaris Music Prize was presented on September 20, 2010. The gala presentation was held at Toronto's Masonic Temple, and was hosted by Grant Lawrence of CBC Radio 3 and Sarah Taylor of MuchMusic....
. The band is in rotation
Spin (radio)
In radio broadcasting, a spin is a single play of a song. The term is also used as a unit to measure popularity, typically in spins per week...
on CBC Radio
CBC Radio
CBC Radio generally refers to the English-language radio operations of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. The CBC operates a number of radio networks serving different audiences and programming niches, all of which are outlined below.-English:CBC Radio operates three English language...
.
History
Frog Eyes is led by singer/songwriter/guitarist Carey MercerCarey Mercer
Carey Mercer is a Canadian musician and English teacher best known for his work as lead singer of the indie rock band Frog Eyes and his work in Swan Lake. He has an additional solo project called Blackout Beach. Once, when on tour with Sum 41 , Mercer fell off stage and bruised his tailbone at a...
. Drummer Melanie Campbell and Mercer are married, and are Frog Eyes' only two permanent members. Campbell is originally from Penticton, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, as is former member Spencer Krug
Spencer Krug
Spencer Krug is a Canadian musician. He is currently the singer, songwriter and keyboardist for the indie rock bands Wolf Parade and Sunset Rubdown. He has also performed with other Canadian bands including Swan Lake, Frog Eyes, Fifths of Seven, and ska band the Two Tonne Bowlers, playing various...
.
Mercer's prior band Blue Pine, which also included member Michael Rak, released two records, although the second Blue Pine remained unreleased during the band's existence, instead being released as a bonus album appended to the reissue of Frog Eyes' debut, The Bloody Hand
The Bloody Hand
The Bloody Hand is the debut album by Frog Eyes, and was released in 2002 on Global Symphonic Records. The album was reissued by Absolutely Kosher Records on April 18, 2006 with nine extra tracks.- Track listing :2002 release...
. Mercer also has a solo project, Blackout Beach, and has released two albums (Light Flows the Putrid Dawn and Skin of Evil) and one single on Soft Abuse. Different versions of three Blackout Beach songs appear on Frog Eyes releases.
Frog Eyes performed with Destroyer
Destroyer (band)
Destroyer is a Canadian indie pop band fronted by singer-songwriter Dan Bejar.- Overview :Daniel Bejar is an independent pop singer-songwriter from Vancouver who formed Destroyer in 1995. He self-produced his first album, the lo-fi We'll Build Them a Golden Bridge, which was recorded at his in...
in live shows and on Dan Bejar
Dan Bejar
Daniel Bejar is an independent singer-songwriter from Vancouver renowned for his challenging and often cryptic lyrics and unorthodox vocals featured in many of his songs. Bejar has gained widespread popularity through his musical collaborations with Vancouver indie-rock band The New Pornographers,...
's album Notorious Lightning & Other Works
Notorious Lightning & Other Works
Notorious Lightning and Other Works is an EP by Destroyer, released in 2005. After shocking many fans by supporting the synth driven album Your Blues with the avant-guitar band Frog Eyes, Dan Bejar decided to put to tape some of the very different versions of songs from Your Blues...
. This collaboration led to the formation of Swan Lake
Swan Lake (band)
Swan Lake is a Canadian indie supergroup comprising Carey Mercer of Frog Eyes and Blackout Beach, Daniel Bejar of Destroyer, Hello, Blue Roses and The New Pornographers, and Spencer Krug of Wolf Parade, Sunset Rubdown and Frog Eyes. Originally playing under the moniker "Thunder Cloud", the group...
, a "songwriter's project" with Dan Bejar
Dan Bejar
Daniel Bejar is an independent singer-songwriter from Vancouver renowned for his challenging and often cryptic lyrics and unorthodox vocals featured in many of his songs. Bejar has gained widespread popularity through his musical collaborations with Vancouver indie-rock band The New Pornographers,...
of Destroyer/The New Pornographers
The New Pornographers
The New Pornographers is a Canadian indie rock band formed in 1997 in Vancouver, British Columbia.-History:The band's first four albums each ranked in the top 40 on The Village Voices Pazz & Jop year-end poll of hundreds of music reviewers. From 2000 to 2006, either a New Pornographers' album or a...
and Spencer Krug
Spencer Krug
Spencer Krug is a Canadian musician. He is currently the singer, songwriter and keyboardist for the indie rock bands Wolf Parade and Sunset Rubdown. He has also performed with other Canadian bands including Swan Lake, Frog Eyes, Fifths of Seven, and ska band the Two Tonne Bowlers, playing various...
of Sunset Rubdown
Sunset Rubdown
Sunset Rubdown is an art rock band from Montreal, Canada. The band began as a solo project for Spencer Krug of Wolf Parade, who released his debut, Snake's Got a Leg, in early 2005...
/Wolf Parade
Wolf Parade
Wolf Parade is an indie rock band formed in 2003 from Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The band is currently on an indefinite hiatus as of May 31, 2011.-History:...
. Frog Eyes performed at Wavelength #177 in August 2003 (Wavelength Music Arts Projects
Wavelength Music Arts Projects
Wavelength Music Arts Projects is an organization founded in 2000 by Jonny Dovercourt, Duncan MacDonell , and Derek Westerholm. It was founded on the basis that many others would share their enthusiasm for independent music from Toronto, Canada...
).
On April 26, 2010, Frog Eyes released their fifth full-length studio album, Paul's Tomb: A Triumph
Paul's Tomb: A Triumph
Paul's Tomb: A Triumph is a 2010 album by Canadian indie rock band Frog Eyes.-Track listing:# "A Flower In a Glove" – 9:08# "The Sensitive Girls" – 3:37# ""Odetta's War"" – 6:22# "Rebel Horns" – 4:22# "Lear, In the Park" 1:56...
, in the UK. It was released a day later in the US. It is the band's first release on Bloomington, Indiana
Bloomington, Indiana
Bloomington is a city in and the county seat of Monroe County in the southern region of the U.S. state of Indiana. The population was 80,405 at the 2010 census....
indie label Dead Oceans
Dead Oceans
Dead Oceans is an independent record label based jointly in Bloomington, Indiana and Austin, Texas. The label has a small, but powerful roster of well-known acts including Akron/Family, John Vanderslice, Califone, Phosphorescent, Bishop Allen, Casey Dienel's band White Hinterland, Bowerbirds, and...
.
Discography
- The Bloody HandThe Bloody HandThe Bloody Hand is the debut album by Frog Eyes, and was released in 2002 on Global Symphonic Records. The album was reissued by Absolutely Kosher Records on April 18, 2006 with nine extra tracks.- Track listing :2002 release...
(2002) Global Symphonic - Emboldened Navigator (2003) Soft Abuse
- The Golden RiverThe Golden RiverThe Golden River is the second full length album by Frog Eyes. It is critically acclaimed and regarded by many as their best work.-Track listing:#"One in Six Children Will Flee in Boats" – 4:15#"Time Reveals Its Plan at Poisoned Falls" – 1:30...
(2003) Animal WorldAnimal WorldAnimal World is a collection of short stories written by Antonio di Benedetto, with hallucinatory animal transformations by the internationally acknowledged Argentine master.- Summary :...
/Global Symphonic - The Folded PalmThe Folded PalmThe Folded Palm is the third album by Frog Eyes, released on September 14, 2004 on Absolutely Kosher Records.- Track listing :# "The Fence Feels its Post" - 1:39# "The Akhian Press" - 1:42# "I Like Dot Dot Dot" - 1:10...
(2004) Absolutely Kosher - Ego ScriptorEgo ScriptorEgo Scriptor is a 2004 album by Frog Eyes. It contains acoustic versions of songs from other Frog Eyes albums.- Track listing :# "A Latex Ice Age"# "Ship Destroyer"# "Silence But for the Gentle Tinkling of the Flowing Creek"...
(2004) Absolutely Kosher - The Future Is Inter-Disciplinary or Not at AllThe Future is Inter-disciplinary or Not at AllThe Future Is Inter-Disciplinary or Not at All is an EP by Frog Eyes, released by Acuarela Discos in Spain in 2006.The EP was not as well received as previous releases, Coke Machine Glow going as far as to describe the album as one that "isn't good", and the level to which it can frustrate...
(2006) Acuarela - Tears of the ValedictorianTears of the ValedictorianTears of the Valedictorian is a 2007 album by Canadian indie rock band Frog Eyes. It has received high critical praise, with Pitchfork Media declaring it "one of their best full-lengths to date" and "recommending" the album....
(2007) Absolutely Kosher - Frog Eyes/ Hello Blue Roses 7" (2008) Absolutely Kosher
- Paul's Tomb: A TriumphPaul's Tomb: A TriumphPaul's Tomb: A Triumph is a 2010 album by Canadian indie rock band Frog Eyes.-Track listing:# "A Flower In a Glove" – 9:08# "The Sensitive Girls" – 3:37# ""Odetta's War"" – 6:22# "Rebel Horns" – 4:22# "Lear, In the Park" 1:56...
(2010) Dead OceansDead OceansDead Oceans is an independent record label based jointly in Bloomington, Indiana and Austin, Texas. The label has a small, but powerful roster of well-known acts including Akron/Family, John Vanderslice, Califone, Phosphorescent, Bishop Allen, Casey Dienel's band White Hinterland, Bowerbirds, and...
See also
- Music of CanadaMusic of CanadaThe music of Canada has influences that have shaped the country. Aboriginals, the British, and the French have all made unique contributions to the musical heritage of Canada. The music has subsequently been heavily influenced by American culture because of its proximity and migration between...
- Canadian rockCanadian rockCanadian rock describes a wide and diverse variety of music produced by Canadians, beginning with American style rock 'n' roll in the mid-20th century. Since then Canada has had a considerable impact on the development of the modern popular music called rock...
- List of Canadian musicians
- List of bands from Canada
- List of bands from British Columbia
- :Category:Canadian musical groups