Forming out of the ashes of Victoria BC's Blue Pine, key members of that aforementioned group have reformed taking their unique swirling, stumbling sound of Blue Pine and drag it into more darker, dramatic, and drunken territory. The results are like a mad man howling beast at in a reverb-drenched rock n' roll cabaret... or something like that. Noisy, distant, crashing drums; distorted organs; guitar shards; cooing and howling. Treading in the same drowning waters as Nick Cave, Crime And The City Solution, and Tom Waits or even The Rock*a*teens.
   Frog Eyes plan to tour several times in the near future, going on their always frantic lives shows usually resulting in some sort of drunken crowd waltzing and vocalist Carey Mercer channeling some sort of deranged lunatic onstage, all adding to Frog Eyes' raw romance of extremes and some sort of bleeding despair. Check them out live if you have the chance!


APRIL 2002 >> West Coast US
AUGUST 2002 >> West Coast US

FROG EYES "The Bloody Hand"
Taken from the record store Other Music, NYC, NY.

"The Bloody Hand," by Victoria, B.C. based Frog Eyes, is without question the best album I have heard all year. It was released several monthes back and was reconmmended to me soon after by Phil (fellow OM employee) who had been urged to check it out by Destryoer's Dan Bejar. From what I gather, lead singer Carey Mercer is something of a legend, known for unsettling live performances, hypnotizing all who were lucky enough to bear witness. The dark territory that he creates is unique and difficult to describe. In many respects the sound owes a debt to experimental circus-meets caberat of Tom Waits and Captain Beefheart. The vocals are pure drama with comparisons lying somewhere between Birthday Party-era Nick Cave and Billy Macenzie of the Associates. Mercer's stream of conciousness lyricism tries to hide more than it reveals, nonsensiclal phrases mix with cliches for an effect that is as confusing as it is infectious. I don't know if they will ever garner much attention outside of Canada, but in my opinion, Frog Eyes are the best new band to ermerge this year and "Bloody Hands," is the album of the year. DISJOINTED, EVASIVE, HAUNTING, MELODRAMATIC, DISSONANT, ANGUISHED, OMNIOUS, AND HIGHLY RECONMENDED. -AG

FROG EYES "The Bloody Hand"
Taken from Monday's, Victoria, BC

Ex-Blue Pine curator Carey Mercer continues his absurd troubadour journey with Frog Eyes, an equally twisted musical carnival that's part lovesick howl, part open-heart lullaby. With drunk guitars, warbling organs, and Mercer's unmistakeable yowl that sounds like the ghost of Flann O'Brien's liver haunting Nick Cave's larynx, The Bloody Hand is the sound of teeth fillings picking up radio stations, burning telephone wires, dead witches, secret maps, and putting your rock and roll hands in the goddamn burning sand. Somehow both over-the-top and understated, Frog Eyes is an oddly mesmerizing treat.

FROG EYES "The Bloody Hand"
Taken from WFMU Jersey City, NJ

FROG EYES "The Bloody Hand"
Taken from Other Music

"Bloody Hand" by Victoria, B.C. based Frog Eyes, is without question the best album I have heard all year. It was released several months back and was recommended to me soon after by Phil (fellow OM employee) who had been urged to check it out by Destroyer's Dan Bejar. From what I gather, lead singer Carey Mercer is something of a legend, known for unsettling live performances, hypnotizing all who were lucky enough to bear witness. The dark territory that he creates is unique and difficult to describe. In many respects the sound owes a debt to the experimental circus-meets-cabaret of Tom Waits and Captain Beefheart. The vocals are pure drama with comparisons lying somewhere between Birthday Party-era Nick Cave and Billy MacKenzie of the Associates. Mercer's stream of consciousness lyricism tries to hide more than it reveals, nonsensical phases mix with cliches for an effect that is as confusing as it is infectious. I don't know if they will ever garner much attention outside of Canada, but in my opinion Frog Eyes are the best new band to emerge this year and "Bloody Hands" is the album of the year. DISJOINTED, EVASIVE, HAUNTING, MELODRAMATIC, DISSONANT, ANGUISHED, OMINOUS, and HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. [AG]

FROG EYES Vancouver BC @ Miss T's. Nov 23.2001

   If you don’t know Frog Eyes, if you haven’t had the pleasure of hearing this ensemble, now’s your chance. The band reside in Victoria and get along fine without much local attention, but here, they’re both a legend and, until now a secret. When you see their upcoming show, look around. Everyone in the Vancouver indie-rock scene will be there. Pretty much every good band in the Lower Mainland will have at least one member watching, grooving, and making mental notes.
   The first time I saw Frog Eyes was last year, And I couldn’t understand why so many reserved and musically talented Vancouverites demanded I attend this show. I’m a critic, and it’s my job to explain just what Frog Eyes were doing that night, but the comparisons that soared though my head-Tom Waits, Bette Middler, Ian Curtis, PJ Harvey, Harry Belafonte- were not adding up. Yet it was working, really working. Never in my many years of being at the right gig have I been part of such an astonishing, cathartic freakout.
Singer-songwriter Carey Mercer has an unsettling presence. His humor has a surly edge and Victoria shapes his musical style. Mercer refers to Japan as a way of describing the cultural conditions of the Pacific Rim, which certainly includes his town: " Like Japan, Victoria is a very reserved place," he says "and if you cross certain lines, you encounter rage."
   Bandmates Melanie Campbell, Mike Rak and Grayson create atmospheres that are full, angular, and weirdly perfect. Add the frothing, raging vocals of Mercer and the Victoria duality is complete, unintentionally intimidating and among the most honest, invigorating music currently written in Canada.

FROG EYES Vancouver BC @The Sugar Refinery, July 7.2001

   The Sugar Refinery exploded. It always does when Frog Eyes comes to town. No other band can transform the urbane, attractive regulars at Vancouver’s best club the way they do. Hailing from Victoria, Carey Mercer and crew turned the critical, collected listeners that haunt that venue into a mob of shrieking, gyrating loonies.
   Frog Eyes music consists of great songwriting, structurally unique, non-repetitious, and is difficult to compare. As well, Mercer is impossible to ignore; his garbled, beautiful voice and overwhelming confidence pours out of him easily. He is already a master showman and every professional player should check him out, because his fearlessness is rock, and whatever transformation the various types of popular music may go through, Mercer’s gush of self and song is critical. Without it, a performance is merely obtrusive background music.

FROG EYES "The Bloody Hand"

   If you still have any interest in rock music that is guilty of the pretension of innovation, then I must give "The Bloody Hand " the highest recommendation possible. If, on the other hand, you have utterly resigned yourself to only listening to "blip-blip" lap-top soundscapes or the rock n’ roll revival, you can go fuck yourself. In all sincerity, Carey Mercer is by far the most consistently interesting Canadian songwriter, and I never make glib statements. I’m reluctant to make comparisons, to say things like "they sound like the Frogs if Nick Cave was their songwriter" or "wow, it’s as if the best song by The Dears was a hundred times better." These things may be true, but I find that discursive technique so wearisome. If the "Bloody Hand" does not end up to be one of the best three albums of 2002, then let a cute little elfin girl fuck me up the ass with a strap-on…Better: let a cute little elfin girl fuck me up the ass with a strap-on while we listen to this album and contemplate Carey Mercer’s genius…any takers?

SOUND TRAVELS FROM THE SNOW TO THE DARK
4.1 MB | 160 kps

THE MAYOR LAMENTS THE FAILURES OF HIS MANY TOWNFOLK
3.1 MB | 160 kps