Canterbury style; Post rock; Space rock
Latest album: Faust (2022)
DO5 (2008)
For Mahogany Frog's prior album On Blue I wrote: "This is the kind of music I'm really appreciating - highly melodic, analog fuzzy, and prog rock minded. I've never really gone too much for post rock - a bit too static for my tastes - and Winnipeg's Mahogany Frog have those tendencies. But there's also a strong Canterbury flavor here, a style that seems to be a natural fit for post rock."
Since DO5 was the first album I'd heard by Mahogany Frog, I just presumed it had been more Canterbury styled than On Blue, since I gravitate to the genre. In fact it was the opposite. As I was listening I begin to wonder why I was drawn to the album at all, given its heavier rock nature and post rock underpinning. But as the album goes on, I was taken aback by the energy, which is more Ozric like and definitely could be considered space rock too. Couple that with their inherent knack for melody, and you have a very unique combination. Which is reason enough to find space in the collection. I enjoyed a +1 listen last night (well two actually). In reviewing both Mahogany Frog's that I own, it's clear I didn't have a solid grasp on their sound. I wouldn't mind hearing their other six albums at some point. And it appears they are still active. Cool. I'll add to Under the Radar as well.
On Blue (2005)
On Blue had come up through the weed out stack where the survival rate is very low these days. But happy to say On Blue made it. This is the kind of music I'm really appreciating - highly melodic, analog fuzzy, and prog rock minded. I've never really gone too much for post rock - a bit too static for my tastes - and Winnipeg's Mahogany Frog have those tendencies. But there's also a strong Canterbury flavor here, a style that seems to be a natural fit for post rock. It's a very short album, barely clearing 30 minutes, indicating its preference to be a vinyl release (which it was too). Because of its brevity I listened to it four times straight which allows more time for the melodies to sink. Each listen was better than the last. Those are the kind of albums you want to keep.
11/11/22; 11/17/23 (new entry)
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