Okay, so the Cramps made their greatest records with no dang bass player - they didn't need one! Boo Frog operates on a similar premise, I think. There's so much great guitar here it takes awhile before the listener even notices there's a rhythm instrument that's usually there that ain't. I haven't even said a word about the songs - if these were JUST Chris Newman songs, it'd be a great album. But add Erika Meyer's songwriting, guitar playing & singing into the equation - AND Paul Vega's drumming (and great carny/Suicide/Jim-Carroll-esque vox on "Mind Bender"), and we've got a truly excellent album here. Erika's "Anabasis" could be a riot grrrl outtake from 1994 (I hope the band doesn't edit THIS part of the review out - I mean it as a compliment!), and then "Jake the Alligator Man", complete with theremin from engineer deluxe Mike Lastra, is a psychedelic masterpiece that would fit in between the Seeds & the Lollipop Shoppe on a 60s mixtape. Seems like Erika sings a lot about dead people... and hey! Do I know "Bad Pam?" Newman has been making music for Portland & beyond for the last 30 years now, and will hopefully continue for 30 more - this record proves that his best work isn't behind him yet. He's been on a writing/recording/playing-live rampage the last 4 or 5 years, and this newest band of his, Boo Frog, raises the ante further. Glad to know you guys, and glad to keep seeing you live. Show Spider Babies how it's done tonight! There's a video from the session this album came from at Smegma that's pretty cool - more contributions from renaissance man Mike Lastra - check it out at 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_s_KhvgmCQ 

Boo Frog/Better Than the Rest, Skullman Records CD 84502-40389-3, 2010.
                            Read more...