The story of the Frolics’ origin is almost as cool as their 2015 offering, ‘Sun Sets’. First formed in Nashville then moved onto Edmonton for what I assume is part of some witness protection program, the Frolics & their camped up rock ’n’ roll are a very welcome addition to our city. If Neko Case had a Saturday morning cartoon and Shonen Knife provided the theme it may come close to what Sun Sets sounds like. To be blunt - listening to the album will probably be the most fun you have today.
After pressing play on their 10 tracks of gritty rockabilly punk-pop, the Frolics almost seem to compel the listener to take their music to the streets. Sun Sets is essentially a party album but even more-so it is a road album. The highway seems as good a place as any to begin. A few songs in and you may notice your right foot bearing a striking relation to Mr. Heavy Foot’s. Roll the windows down and lean into the breeze, the sound coupled with the beaming sun and get yourself a little closer to summer. These songs are hot, fast and infectious.
The surf guitar sounds mix somewhere in between what the Strokes did for seventies rock and the Chantays did for sixties rock.
Each flick of the guitarist’s wrist like another quick turn toward the path to their final destination while the Frolics lyrics get straight to the driving point. As opposed to spending time trying to decipher the code of the musical and lyrical meanings you’ll have more time to move along to the poppy swath of sound bridging the gap from the sixties & seventies into 2019. Listening to the Frolics is almost as good as driving in the car pool lane all by yourself in Doc Brown’s DeLorean.
A little bit more twang is established midway through the trip as the Frolics add a bit of alt-country to the mix. Guitar riffs set up the pace for the band throughout as a fire is set by the Frolics vocalist’s revengeful lamentation on “Burn Baby Burn”. Later, straight from the tomb of Russ Meyer, both singers caterwaul “Faster pussycat Meow Meow”,
eliciting a vision of more speeding cars and dusty highways. Press your foot back down on the gas and join the shouts as onlookers from the slow lane thumb their noses. This album might start getting expensive depending on the upcoming ticket one might receive by listening and driving to Sun Sets. Could listening to the Frolics be the cause for more distracted driver tickets on our roads?
Only time and their continued success will tell.
Sun Sets is all sex appeal, driving rhythms and genuine lust-filled music. Passion, irony, defiance and a kick to the shins are all bottled up on these ten tracks. Take a cruise on the Frolics “led sled” and hang on tight. The pace of the album may catch you by surprise. You may only just be just be warming up to listening to Sun Sets before you even know its over. Like hearing a good story it’s almost as if the Frolics are teasing an epic collection without surrendering books two and three when you arrive at the cliff’s edge.
Sun Sets 10 songs almost seem too daunting a track list to get through on such a short trip. The band speeds through like they’re racing a nascar against the roller coaster at your local fair. Jump back in the car once it’s all over and make the trip again. The sun is really shining.
--Val Christopher
Listen Now
On Capital City Records!
Listen Now
On Capital City Records!