Frog Eyes Evolve On Carey's Cold Spring

It should be stated right at the top- Frog Eyes is an acquired taste. Certainly not to be mistaken for a band you mindlessly let slip into your headspace. Like a vampire, you need to invite them in before they can enter your inner sanctum. Twisting your perspective in the process, forcing you to see the world through their beautifully bulging and complex eyes. Optimally, their sound must envelope you just like the meninges around the brain providing you with both nourishment and protection from the ever-menacing world surrounding us all. Twelve years down the line, the fact this band remains present tense is solely dependent on the head, heart and soul of one man- Carey Mercer.  Who is a teacher by trade in his native Canadian British Columbia when taking a break from his career of being an underappreciated musician. Mr. Mercer specializes in unabashedly yelpy, shaky and stretched vocals that echo within their lyrical depth. Having had his musical endeavors recorded for over a decade, this history offers an aural report card that proves his visions seem to be getting clearer and more potent with age. Mr. Mercer’s past releases leave behind a string of labels in their wake- Global Symphonic, Animal World Recordings, Soft Abuse, Acuarela, Absolutely Kosher and Dead Oceans.  Frog Eyes’ latest release, Carey’s Cold Spring, recently found a home on the Toronto based label Paper Bag Records who saw the value in Mr. Mercer’s work… to a point. Respecting the niche appeal of the band and of the physical format, Paper Bag agreed to press 300 copies on colored vinyl with book and t-shirt bundle options to entice sales. That plan seems to have worked perfectly, as all copies of the LP are now sold out with a rising demand for further pressings.

Frog Eyes sixth full-length album, Carey’s Cold Spring, didn’t always have colored vinyl and record label ambitions in its future. In fact, it was initially self-released digitally back in October 2013 through their Bandcamp page with no other official plans in the works. In fact, Frog Eyes had seemingly taken a back seat to Mr. Mercer’s other projects in the recent past with only the LPs, Paul’s Tomb: A Triumph and Tear of The Valedictorian seeing release since 2007. Mr. Mercer’s focus had become split between other projects. In 2006, he formed a side project with former collaborators Dan Bejar (Destroyer, New Pornographers) and Spencer Krug (Wolf Parade, Sunset Rubdown) called Swan Lake. Mr. Mercer also continued writing and recording under his solo alias Blackout Beach during this time. Prolifically releasing three full-lengths in five years. However, it was Swan Lake, dubbed a Canadian indie supergroup, that had shone a public spotlight right into the retinas of Frog Eyes. In the process, laying the groundwork for Frog Eyes’ future by signing to their largest label yet, Jagjaguwar subsidiary Dead Oceans for Paul’s Tomb.

While not his only focus, Frog Eyes still remained a part of Mr. Mercer’s life and his efforts eventually materialized late last year on Bandcamp. Given that Mr. Mercer’s personal and musical lives intersect behind Frog Eyes’ drum kit, the band's delayed album made even more sense with the birth of his son, Ivan, by his drum partner, Melanie Campbell in 2011. The realities of parenthood happily slowing down his mobility and ability to be a touring band. With this realization, his solo vehicle, Blackout Beach's became a very relevant musical outlet. Frog Eyes turning into more of a long term recording project when all relevant parties could find the time.

Unfortunately, life both gives and takes by it's very nature and Mr. Mercer suddenly lost his father within months of a cancer diagnosis last year. A span of time where Carey’s Cold Spring was taking shape, the recording nearly halfway done when his dad passed. Yet, Carey’s Cold Spring is not as informed by this event as you would think with much of the album written beforehand. In fact, the most noticeable difference on the record from Frog Eyes’ previous work is the absence of Mr. Mercer’s wife, Melanie Campbell, on the recordings. Apparently, the only negative of motherhood (while still 99.99% positive) is that it can cause temporary musical collateral damage for husband/wife guitar/drum teams that have a unique melodic bond. While her studio replacement is probably a nice guy and even technically more proficient, on this record he is basically reduced to playing an imitation of her style. For comparison’s sake, it would be like The Dirty Three replacing Jim White with Neil Peart of Rush. For that reason, there is a subtle reserved polish to the music that never quite matches the magic of Mr. Mercer and Ms. Campbell’s intuitiveness.

Even with these obstacles, Carey’s Cold Spring is still an album to be celebrated. Mercer’s song structures, guitar work and lyrics are just too strong to be affected by such critical nitpicking. As with almost all Frog Eyes’ work, the vocals drive these songs with the mix correctly reflecting their importance. “Duration of Starts and Lines that Form Code” displays a Frogian chug along beat mixed with shimmering guitar lines underneath layered vocal tracks that build to a tension filled climax. “Seven Daughters” gives off an almost Ivy League Hold Steady-like vibe in the albums most musically adventurous track. “Don’t Give Up On Your Dreams” starts off as a moody, atmospheric piece with dripping guitar heroics, which builds into a musical squall showcasing the band’s range and content. This album even creates some transcendent moments (The Country Child, Needle In The Sun) where Mr. Mercer’s guitar and his supporting instruments battle his vocals for a temporary dominance.

Knowing the events surrounding the recording of Carey’s Cold Spring gives the project a certain emotional heft. There is no doubt that Mr. Mercer’s literal life and death family issues weighed on him. However, nothing could have prepared him for the news he received after recording this album- throat cancer. Through the passage of time and many heavy doses of radiation, his story ends as a successful, life-affirming journey. A few months back though, this path to remission was anything but a given. Mr. Mercer decided to announce the planned Bandcamp release of the now completed Carey’s Cold Spring with the simultaneous news of his personal cancer battle. The two items of business were connected as he had chosen to leave his label, Dead Oceans, whom he did not want to stick with the bill for a record he could not tour behind. The digital only release would allow the world to hear his songs, which he determined the most important thing and, also, the only option that remained. Mr. Mercer received treatment for his throat cancer in August and September 2013, digitally released his record in October and then endured the struggle and uncertainty of the months ahead.

In many ways, this sold out Paper Bag Records pressing of Carey’s Cold Spring is the completion of an original vision. It represents a way to celebrate what was almost taken and to appreciate the little things. He can now take a victory lap on Frog Eyes’ upcoming summer tour and then move on to the next project. With just a couple months into cancer free living, Mr. Mercer should be applauded for his successes and his determination. We should all learn from the courage and strength displayed to be motivated when the world tries to weigh you down. Showing that the desire to write and record can be stronger than any physical ailment. Mr. Mercer’s pen ready to dispense philosophical musings on life, love and the respect of death for whomever wants to listen even if only himself. He will continue to be innately driven to make art, which is the proof that he is still alive- that he is still in the present tense- with all the awe, hope, humility and endless possibilities the concept of a future offers.