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Frog Eyes - "Policy Merchant 2: Ah Shit Man"
After Frog Eyes drummer Melanie Campbell stopped by to discuss her job as a nurse and her husband, Frog Eyes's vocalist/guitarist Carey Mercer, provided us with MP3s from the duo's older crew, Prancing Cat, "a band with no future and no hope," we talked to them about passing along a tune by a band with both a present and a future. The song Mercer gave us is a reworked version of "The Policy Merchant," which appears in its initial whispery form on Frog Eyes's excellent fourth proper album Tears Of The Valedictorian. The full-band, fully-uplifted version we're giving to you today is destined for the limited-edition, four-song Absolutely Kosher split 7" with Dan Bejar and Sydney Vermont's Hello, Blue Roses (out in December). On it, Frog Eyes also remake "Stockades" as "Stockades 2: You Are The Water...", while the Bejar and Vermont team cover Destroyer's "Foam Hands" (meta!) and Richard and Linda Thompson's "Wall Of Death." We tracked down Mercer while he and his fellow Frogs were on tour in Brest, the "western-est point of France," and asked him to explain the band's sp-m-filter-jamming "Policy Merchant 2: Ah Sh-t Man." (Sorry for the "-", Carey ... we're serious about that jamming.)
What's the story behind "The Policy Merchant"? My Dad plays a Gretsch Country Gentleman on this song. The song is about runaways ... and money ... and white parents worrying under a tropical sun. Not my parents, but ummm, archetypal parents.
Does the meaning shift between the two different takes? I think the inclusion of the word "Sh-t" in the last verse [of this version] is a nod to the presence of the band, as opposed to the non-cursing version of "The Policy Merchant" that is heard on the album.
How'd you end up doing the split with Hello, Blue Roses? The split 7 inch came to me because we really like Sydney and Dan as a couple: 7 inches are for buddies, but also a great way to show your friends that you approve of them as a romantic couple. I can only hope that they are sending us a similar message.
Premature Evaluation: Beach House - Teen Dream
When we meditated on Victoria Legrand and Alex Scally's gorgeous sophomore album Devotion we had the following to say: [Y]ou can't fall back on Mazzy Star or Galaxie 500 references because they've pushed themselves into their own, unique solar system.... (more)
New Jonathan Boulet Video - "A Community Service Announcement"
This dude's the latest signing to Australia's Modular label, landing with a tidy package of promotional offerings: a catchy, moistly breezy indie-pop debut single that couldn't be better titled for a meet-the-artist track; a subtly arresting/marginally tricked-out video; and a... (more)
New El Guincho - "Antillas (XXXchange Remix)"
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Muse To Headline Coachella 2010?
According to Consequence Of Sound, a previously reliable source pins Muse to the coming year's desert fest headlining slot. Glenn Beck just bought a ticket. The dates are April 16-18. Oh and these Coachella headliner rumors? Needs more Pavement.... (more)
Parents Just Don't Understand Horrorcore
From hardcore to heavy metal to gangsta rap, local TV news teams have long warned parents about the terrifying new sounds rotting teenage brains. This week it's San Fran's KPIX on the horrorcore scene. Not all juggalos are murderers, dad!... (more)
