Two years after issuing their Carey's Cold Spring, BC art-rock institution Frog Eyes have revealed that a new album will hit our ears this summer. Their Pickpocket's Locket opens up August 28 via Paper Bag Records.
A press release notes that the 10 songs from the set were written by bandleader Carey Mercer on an acoustic guitar that was left to him in his father's will.
As explained by Mercer, "It was all he had to give, because he wasn't a rich man. I wrote 10 songs on it, and I think that was the real gift he gave me: a love of music, not just the way you all love it (music lovers), but also a love of creating it, sowing myself, in some small way, into the story of music."
While Mercer notes that his last couple of records were made "piling tracks on tracks" on a computer, he took a more organic approach to crafting Pickpocket's Locket, writing the songs on his Martin D-18 acoustic and prepping the vocals before bringing them to the rest of the band. Thematically, Mercer says he "wrote about Joseph Beuys, about B. Traven, about God and Abraham and Isaac, about my dad being addicted to speed when he was 17."
The album updates Frog Eyes' ever-changing lineup to Mercer, longtime drummer Melanie Campbell, keyboardist Shyla Seller and bassist Terri Upton.
Moonface's Spencer Krug, who had previously played in Frog Eyes and collaborated with Mercer in Swan Lake, was tapped to compose strings for the set. Those were, in turn, recorded by avant violinist Jesse Zubot (Tanya Tagaq, Fond of Tigers, Dan Mangan).
Additionally, John Paton plays saxophone on Pickpocket's Locket, while Paul Rigby also added pedal steel guitar.
Down below, you find a stream of the album's first single, "Joe with the Jam," as well as a tracklisting and some upcoming tour dates with Destroyer.
Pickpocket's Locket:
1. Two Girls (One for Heaven and the Other One for Rome)
2. Joe with the Jam
3. The Beat Is Down (Four Wretched Singers Beyond Any World That You Have Known)
4. Death's Ship
5. The Demon Runner
6. Rejoinders In a Storm
7. In a Hut
8. Crystal Blip
9. I Ain't Around Much
10. Rip Down the Fences That Fence the Garden
Tour dates:
07/31-08/02 Sackville, NB - Sappy Fest
09/11 Toronto, ON - Smiling Buddha
09/11-12 Hamilton, ON - Supercrawl
09/17-20 Victoria, BC - Rifflandia
09/18 Portland, OR - Wonder Ballroom *
09/19 San Francisco, CA - Fillmore *
09/20 Los Angeles, CA - The Regent Theater *
09/21 Santa Cruz, CA - Crepe Place
09/23 Bellingham, WA - Shakedown
10/16 Seattle, WA - Neptune *
10/17 Vancouver, BC - Commodore Ballroom *
* with Destroyer
A press release notes that the 10 songs from the set were written by bandleader Carey Mercer on an acoustic guitar that was left to him in his father's will.
As explained by Mercer, "It was all he had to give, because he wasn't a rich man. I wrote 10 songs on it, and I think that was the real gift he gave me: a love of music, not just the way you all love it (music lovers), but also a love of creating it, sowing myself, in some small way, into the story of music."
While Mercer notes that his last couple of records were made "piling tracks on tracks" on a computer, he took a more organic approach to crafting Pickpocket's Locket, writing the songs on his Martin D-18 acoustic and prepping the vocals before bringing them to the rest of the band. Thematically, Mercer says he "wrote about Joseph Beuys, about B. Traven, about God and Abraham and Isaac, about my dad being addicted to speed when he was 17."
The album updates Frog Eyes' ever-changing lineup to Mercer, longtime drummer Melanie Campbell, keyboardist Shyla Seller and bassist Terri Upton.
Moonface's Spencer Krug, who had previously played in Frog Eyes and collaborated with Mercer in Swan Lake, was tapped to compose strings for the set. Those were, in turn, recorded by avant violinist Jesse Zubot (Tanya Tagaq, Fond of Tigers, Dan Mangan).
Additionally, John Paton plays saxophone on Pickpocket's Locket, while Paul Rigby also added pedal steel guitar.
Down below, you find a stream of the album's first single, "Joe with the Jam," as well as a tracklisting and some upcoming tour dates with Destroyer.
Pickpocket's Locket:
1. Two Girls (One for Heaven and the Other One for Rome)
2. Joe with the Jam
3. The Beat Is Down (Four Wretched Singers Beyond Any World That You Have Known)
4. Death's Ship
5. The Demon Runner
6. Rejoinders In a Storm
7. In a Hut
8. Crystal Blip
9. I Ain't Around Much
10. Rip Down the Fences That Fence the Garden
Tour dates:
07/31-08/02 Sackville, NB - Sappy Fest
09/11 Toronto, ON - Smiling Buddha
09/11-12 Hamilton, ON - Supercrawl
09/17-20 Victoria, BC - Rifflandia
09/18 Portland, OR - Wonder Ballroom *
09/19 San Francisco, CA - Fillmore *
09/20 Los Angeles, CA - The Regent Theater *
09/21 Santa Cruz, CA - Crepe Place
09/23 Bellingham, WA - Shakedown
10/16 Seattle, WA - Neptune *
10/17 Vancouver, BC - Commodore Ballroom *
* with Destroyer