Tears of the Valedictorian
Studio album by
Frog Eyes
ReleasedMay 1, 2007
GenreIndie rock
Length36:14
LabelAbsolutely Kosher
ProducerCarey Mercer, Daryl Smith
Frog Eyes chronology
The Future Is Inter-Disciplinary or Not at All
(2006)		 Tears of the Valedictorian
(2007)		 Paul's Tomb: A Triumph
(2010)

Tears of the Valedictorian is a 2007 album by Canadian indie rock band Frog Eyes. It has received high critical praise, with Pitchfork declaring it "one of their best full-lengths to date" and "recommending" the album.[1]

The album's first single, "Bushels," also received praise when it was released on Pitchfork on February 1.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
Pitchfork8.5/10[1]
PopMatters6/10[3]
Stylus MagazineB[4]
Tiny Mix Tapes(4/5)[5]

AllMusic's James Christopher Monger said the album showcases Frog Eyes' "uncanny talent for creating manic, beautiful, and upsetting songs that seem to exists wholly for themselves", praising Carey Mercer's rabid vocal delivery and the band's pension for pushing pop music into different territories.[2] Andrew Gaerig of Stylus Magazine praised Mercer for revitalizing his band after 2004's The Folded Palm with a "beautifully constructed" and "phenomenally produced record" that's neither generic or indulgent, saying "he constructed a taut, concise Frog Eyes album that retains the band's signature sound without delving into repetition or trope."[4] Josh Berquist from PopMatters was mixed on Mercer dialing back his vocalization and guitar playing throughout the record to refine his manic artistry and the production that stripped the tracks of the "atmospheric allure" found on previous projects, concluding that: "Ultimately, Mercer's ugliest moments are also his most flattering, which makes Tears of the Valedictorian a mild disappointment that leaves listeners longing for something more unhinged."[3]

Track listing

  1. "Idle Songs" – 2:24
  2. "Caravan Breakers, They Prey on the Weak and the Old" – 7:35
  3. ""Stockades"" – 3:27
  4. "Reform the Countryside" – 5:24
  5. "The Policy Merchant, the Silver Bay" 2:31
  6. "Evil Energy, the Ill Twin of..." – 2:42
  7. "...Eagle Energy" – 1:52
  8. "Bushels" – 9:13
  9. "My Boats They Go" – 1:02

References

  1. 1 2 Wilson, Carl (May 3, 2007). "Frog Eyes: Tears of the Valedictorian". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on January 22, 2021. Retrieved August 3, 2009.
  2. 1 2 Monger, James Christopher. "Tears of the Valedictorian - Frog Eyes". AllMusic. Retrieved August 3, 2009.
  3. 1 2 Berquist, Josh (April 30, 2007). "Frog Eyes: Tears of the Valedictorian". PopMatters. Archived from the original on October 28, 2020. Retrieved June 1, 2021.
  4. 1 2 Gaerig, Andrew (May 1, 2007). "Frog Eyes - Tears of the Valedictorian". Stylus Magazine. Archived from the original on March 30, 2014. Retrieved August 3, 2009.
  5. ↑ Purdum, Grant 'Gumshoe'. "Review: Tears of the Valedictorian". Tiny Mix Tapes. Archived from the original on September 5, 2015. Retrieved June 1, 2021.



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