If you had even a pasing glance at WTD last year you might well have noticed that we like Frog. A lot. Their s/t début mini-album was great, their full-length Kind of Blah was extraordinary, they made our end of year lists in both songs and albums, plus their choice of favourite fictional frog is second to none. So, here’s the good news! Frog are back with a single release for ‘Catchyalater’ from Kind of Blah, featuring a radio edit of the track, two remixes and a B-side, ‘God’s Tinnitus’.
‘Catchyalater’ is one of my favourite songs from the album, the perfect blend of wit, emotion and pop culture references. As we wrote in our review:
“With ambient sound clips and gentle, emotive vocals, ‘Catchyalater’ brings to mind The Antlers in their In The Attic of The Universe stage… contain[ing] some irresistibly quotable lines”
To give you an idea, the quotable lines include nods to Alanis Morissette and Patrick Ewing, punks and cokes and flicks at the mall, essentially forming (as is most of the album) an ode to America and the past more generally. The remixes are great too, as you might expect. Jack Hayter slows down the pace but dials up the tortured emotion, while Benjamin Shaw leans on the ambient recordings and serves up a slice of soothing introspection. New track ‘God’s Tinnitus’ feels wrapped up and insular, the receding lulls almost more conspicuous than the clanging piano that punctuates it, the whispered vocals hushed and hurried in equal measure, “Sometimes I think that the crickets are just God’s tinnitus”.
‘Catchyalater’ is out on the 22nd of January on Audio Antihero, but you can listen to the whole release below:
The single release just so happens to coincide with Frog’s imminent tour of the UK (dates/poster below). If seeing the duo live wasn’t excitement enough, the transatlantic trip is serving a second purpose – the creation of the fan-funded blockbuster, Frog: Across the Pond. Yep, the boys have enlisted (or maybe were enlisted by) filmmaker Alex Coppola to make a film about their UK adventure. Described as part concert video, part road movie, this project has all the makings of something special. Put it this way, there’ll be a lot more Oscar-boycotting in 2017 if this isn’t nominated. I mean, check out the tagline:
When two friends discover that their little band is big overseas, they decide to try their luck on the other side of the Atlantic.
If you (unlike us, boo!) can get to a show, check out the dates below and try and immortalise yourself on the silver screen:
Jan 23rd – The Waiting Room, Colchester (with Roy / Sophie Nash / Chris Fox)
Jan 24th – Servant Jazz Quarters, London (with Alex Chilltown / Owl & Mouse)
Jan 25th – Fulford Arms, York (with The Drink)
Jan 27th – The Hug & Pint, Glasgow
Jan 29th – Venue TBA, Edinburgh (with Plastic Animals)
Jan 30th – DIY Space for London, London (with Rainmaker / The Johns / Brunch / Crows An Wra)
