Pitchfork

Photo by Sarah Cass

This May Day, why not inject a little chaos into the ol' maypole dance routine by broadcasting the new Frog Eyes LP? As previously reported, the frenetic Victoria quartet unleashes its fourth full-length beast, the nine-track Tears of the Valedictorian, on May 1 via Absolutely Kosher in the U.S. and Scratch in Canada.

Since Tears' perplexing song titles have our ribbons a bit tangled, Pitchfork went straight to Frog Eyes frontman Carey Mercer with a few e-mail questions. Thanks to the magic of interweb discourse, we learned a little about the new LP, the toil of touring, Swan Lake's auto show gig that wasn't, and the influence of David Bowie-by-proxy. We're also more confused now than ever.

Pitchfork: Tears of the Valedictorian-- in 100 words or less, what's it all about?

Carey Mercer: Well, there are a few 'down with people' songs and a few 'up with people' songs, and a few songs that suggest an affinity for stock/archetypal tragic images. Two songs are quite long.

Dan Bejar once suggested to me that all of my art is crumbling into that most classic and vaunted of forms: the drunken speech of the deposed dictator. Tears was mastered a little quieter than Californication, and therefore will not get as much radio play.

Pitchfork: The titles of the previous Frog Eyes albums proper have all followed the pattern: [definite article] [adjective] [noun]. This one is noticeably different. Any particular reason? Why not name it, say, The Valedictory Tear?

Carey: I had the feeling that I was leaving all the nonsense of the last three records behind, and then the pompous absurdity of such a feeling made me remember, with a love in my heart, that my oldest friend Peter cried while delivering his Valedictorian speech. My favorite art combines humor and crushing Pathos, human squalor and immutable, natural beauty. That is why it is called Tears of the Valedictorian.

Pitchfork: The Frog Eyes live show is a very physical experience-- what do you do to prepare for a show?

Carey: I don't prepare for a show, I just wander out towards the stage and hope I can come across something good and pure in the next 45 minutes.

Pitchfork: Have you ever seriously hurt yourself singing and playing as you do?

Carey: Sometimes I cut my lip up. Sometimes I sweat a lot; I look like a man that has just emerged from a lake fully clothed.

Pitchfork: Tears of the Valedictorian is the fourth Frog Eyes full-length. Has making these things gotten any easier?

Carey: It is always very difficult.

Pitchfork: Who's presently in Frog Eyes?

Carey: On the record we have Melanie [Campbell] on drums, [Spencer] Krug on piano, [Michael] Rak on bass, I play guitar and a fellow named Mccloud Zicmuse [of the band Le Ton Mité] plays guitar on half of the songs.

Our live show is a little different, and I am not totally sure who will be there, but I can say that we will be touring with a fellow from Victoria named Ryan Beattie who plays guitar.

Pitchfork: Who produced the record?

Carey: Daryl Smith was the engineer/mixer, this fellow who ran a great studio in Toronto. He is great. He moved to Victoria, where we live, to raise sheep. It's all very British. I want to make another one with him pronto. I think we co-produced the record.

Pitchfork: Listening to Frog Eyes, I sometimes can't help but think of Mr. David Bowie. Are you fans?

Carey: Before late 2006, whenever someone said Bowie, I thought of the camera-man in Labyrinth having to focus, but not focus, on those purple leotards. Now I think it is odd that I loved Eno/Ferry but never really bothered to listen to Bowie, due to laziness or contentedness. That music rules. I love it.

When I first started Blue Pine, the embryo for Frog Eyes, I listened to this band called Long Hind Legs that my friend lent me. I think they were really influenced by Bowie, so I should just say 'yes, I am influenced by David Bowie.'

Pitchfork: So people like my mom think your lyrics and song titles are a little, um, 'out there.' What inspires them?

Carey: Just tell your mom that most of this stuff is about Shakespeare. It's at least a half-truth.

Pitchfork: Where did the Frog Eyes name come from? Do you ever regret the name?

Carey: The name came from some packaged ceramic frog eyes that Mel bought in a thrift store. We liked the font. One thousand frog gifts later, I do regret the name, although it has lived long enough to become meaningless, just a symbol for how I'd like to spend my days.

Pitchfork: What's the story with Prancing Cat?

Carey: It is a punk-ish band with friends. It was short-lived, but maybe has resurrection/ transfiguration potential.

Pitchfork: Has Swan Lake been cooking up anything of late? Perhaps a tour??

Carey: I think we almost played a Volkswagen party at the New York Auto-show, even though Spencer has never heard of this, this being Bejar's big $ idea, and we would have had to slip him a big glass of milk and roofies to get him anywhere near this gathering.

Pitchfork: Which contemporary musicians and recent records do you especially admire?

Carey: I admire lots of people. Just off the top of my head though: I love that new Silver Jews record. And the last Smog record. And Junior Boys, my woman loves that future/past music. Me mates too, of course, I like their ditties. I love this reissued Elyse Weinberg record, she sounds like Rod Stewart. And Deerhoof, like most people, I admire them. I don't really like Wolfmother though.

Watch Mercer cut lips and come across good and pure as Frog Eyes tour this spring.

Ribbit:

03-17 Austin, TX - SXSW (Absolutely Kosher Showcase)
04-14 Victoria, British Columbia - Logan's Pub
05-01 Seattle, WA - Crocodile
05-04 San Francisco, CA - Bottom of the Hill
05-05 Los Angeles, CA - The Echo
05-10 Denton, TX - Rubber Gloves
05-11 Austin, TX - Emo's
05-12 Houston, TX - Proletariat
05-15 Chapel Hill, NC - Local 506
05-16 Washington, DC - Rock & Roll Hotel
05-17 Philadelphia, PA - Johnny Brenda's
05-18 New York, NY - Mercury Lounge
05-22 Montreal, Quebec - La Sala Rossa
05-24 Toronto, Ontario - Sneaky Dee's
05-25 Cleveland, OH - Beachland Ballroom
05-27 Chicago, IL - Schubas