When a band calls itself Mahogany Frog, you expect an element of eclectic playfulness to its music. And these Canadians deliver, with a challenging yet fun genre-bending instrumental tour de force. Drawing inspiration from such disparate sources as lounge, classical, ambient and progressive music—as well as sound-art segments that incorporate field recordings, tape collages and analog buzz—Mahogany Frog consists of two guys who each play guitars and keyboards, and a drummer and a bassist who both double up on “electronics.”
Psychedelic grandiosity on “Expo ’67” gives way to even more pomp and circumstance on “Flossing With Buddha,” as the dueling keyboards of Graham Epp and Jesse Warkentin provide a sharp contrast to the next two tracks, “Message from Uncle Stan: Grey Shirt” and “Message from Uncle Stan: Green House”—a pair of feedback-fueled guitar pieces that eventually morph into a ripping power-chord battle of strings vs. keys. Very cool stuff.
