DAY AND AGE

Got to say I don't like Jem's production style - dense, crispy, harsh, static sound. John's mix of last years Lonely Robot release was excellent. It's too bad he didn't mix this. So what is different about Frost* this time? Well, they have three drummers, not all playing at the same time but on different songs. John sings lead vocal a lot more, and the solos that gave me goosebumps on previous releases are completely absent. There are some new musical ideas that they experiment with, so kudos for not repeating themselves. No idea who wrote the songs, as the liner notes don't say, but guessing this is a collaborative effort between Jem and John. 

Highlights include the title track which is also the longest. It is engaging, has several unique musical passages, and unfortunately fades out too fast. Fierce drum break in the middle of the song. Would have been the perfect spot for those searing solos.  "Kill the Orchestra" is another cool tune that starts slow and is transformed into the magic that only Frost* can pull off. Listen closely and you can hear a riff from "Milliontown" starting at 1:55.

Overall, this release will take time to digest because it is so dense, but the first few listens for me, less the mentioned highlights, has been just... meh. However, I can only imagine how it would sound with a cleaner mix and solos.