Wiki
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Release Date
20 December 2005
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Length
10 tracks
The Kings of Frog Island – Self Titled
Review by John Pegoraro (StonerRock.com)
Elektrohasch Records
Release date: July 2005
From the creative mind of Josiah’s Mat Bethancourt comes The Kings of Frog Island, a great band with a silly name. I’m sure there’s some meaning behind the moniker, but a quick Google search gave me no answers.
But hell, this trio (Bethancourt, Mark Beteux, and Dodge Watson, with contributions from Gavin Wright and Tony Heslop) could’ve called themselves the Fabulous Poo Flingers or The Succulent Yip Dogs of France and it wouldn’t matter. What does is the music, and there’s plenty of good stuff on this self titled debut.
While opener “Everybody’s Gonna Lose Their Heads” is similar to the gritty garage rock of Josiah, The Kings of Frog Island really specialize in late ‘60s/early ‘70s psyche rock. There are shades of Monster Magnet, but that’s distilled through greats like Hawkwind and Blue Cheer. especially on “The Longest Hour” and “Psychomania.” The latter indulges in over six minutes of feedback and distortion, backed up by an impressive rhythm section. Interspersed between psychedelic rockers like those and “Beyond the Revolution” are mellow, more acoustic numbers that show the musical depth of The Kings of Frog Island.
What’s most impressive about these guys is that they haven’t been around all that long. I can’t wait to hear what comes from them next. This is a must have for psychedelic rock enthusiasts.
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