Ribbit
The latest from New Nausea, Music For Frogs is an eclectic mix of indie pop sounds from the Perth group. Apparently recorded over 6 years (or 6 years in the making), it is diverse, rich in melody, and awash with that sound which has become synonymous with Perth music of late.
Opening with Destroy Everything (aside from the spoken intro, which appears in different forms throughout), the album promises to go introspective. An anthem of a tune with a lot of apologies for broken relationships mixed with lush pop guitar melodies; it’s a solid opener.
The album seems DIY – the first tracks being the rawest of the bunch. Snow Globe is next with lots of nice guitar melodies playing around throughout. When Icu is the catchiest tune on the album, and if this doesn’t capture the modern Perth indie-pop sound nothing does. It’s energetic and memorable; a proper ear worm.
After another frog interlude we move into what feels like a slight shift in sound, perhaps recording location or just a different setup? A little more Methyl Ethyl-esque with reverb-tinged guitar melodies playing throughout Slip the Punch.
This continues with Sleepwalker, which feels like a bit of an album centrepiece. Reverby guitars sounding miles away, and nice whistling and synth hooks grabbing you and pulling you out of the ether.
A bit more folk tinge follows in Only Ever Coming Down with some lovely violin accompaniments. The acoustic vibe continues through Say Anything before we meet with another frog interlude.
As expected, we get another shift in vibe and the catchier Barnacle delivers plenty of catchiness, while not straying from the love-lost themes of the album. Then a bit of redemption on the relatively mellow Back On Top.
An album of catharsis and getting yourself up out of a hole. Polished in parts, scrappy in others, it’s a solid effort from the Perth group.