Sunday, January 3, 2010

64.

Frog Eyes
The Golden River
(Golden Symphonic/Animal World Recordings, 2003)

I think I have to concede to the nickname my fellow FG cohort coined for Frog Eyes leader Carey Mercer, the guy is truly Mr. Consistency, which shouldn’t hint in anyway monotony. No no. Mercer has to be one of the most inventive, manic, demented carnival-esque rock troubadours on the landscape of modern indie rock. Yet, no matter what avenues Mercer saunters down, things turn to gold. It is no wonder then that his sprawling, twenty-four track opus, The Golden River, should breach this here best-of-decade list. Mercer is kind of the David Bowie of our generation, though, perhaps, with a dash of menace. At least he reminds me of such. And really, wouldn’t a slightly menacing David Bowie just be the bee’s knees? Well, even if not, Mercer and The Golden River sure is.

-Thistle

1 comment:

sass said...

It's funny that you are so in love with Mercer and Krug because it took you a while to warm up to both Wolf Parade and Frog Eyes. I tried to tell you they were good and you wouldn't listen and then all the sudden you felt like giving them a try and now you love about as much as you love me. I hate to say I told you so, but on a lot of these picks I am really fighting the urge.