Armored Frog - Blasted Record Effect

Armored Frog
Blasted Record Effect

I was recently clued into a band called Armored Frog, whose name was reason enough to check them out. But I really dug the 3 songs available on site which all come from their Weasel on a Weathervane CD. As near as I can tell from this selection, Armored Frog’s specialty is extremely hushed and weather-worn folky songs that have more in common with Mark Linkous and Norfolk and Western than any appalachian crowd.

The minimalist “Blasted Record Effect” moves along at the speed of sloth, and the empty space between the notes wonderfully highlights the vocals (either from George Ayres or Jake Baker, I don’t know which). Like a true frog, their singing is extremely throaty and croaky… someone give them a cough drop! But it actually works beautifully in all of their tracks. The atmosphere reminded me of some of the slower Hayden songs.

The hyper intimate tracks continue with “Snow Shoes” which mopes along draped in boozy reverb and lo-fi whispers. I forgot to also say that there is some really wonderful instrumentation on the songs as well, ranging from piano to tinkling bells. “Significant Figure” charges things up a bit with distorted guitar in the beginning before becoming minimalist again, with teeny tiny xylophone hits backing up quiet guitar and singing.

The full band is George Ayres, Jake Baker, Erin Cadigan, and Elliot Hartlerode.

Sample tracks from Armored Frog
Blasted Record Effect - Weasel on a Weathervane CD
Significant Figures - Weasel on a Weathervane CD
Snow Shoes - Weasel on a Weathervane CD

by Palebear