Frogpond
Country of origin:
U.S.
Type of music generally:
Alternative indie-rock
Status:
Final release, Safe Ride Home (1999)
See also:
Lawrence.com's Frogpond pageThe Ectophiles' Guide's entry for Abileen, a later project of Heidi Phillips'
Comparisons:
A slightly less hook-filled The Breeders?
Covers/own material:
Own
General comments:
A three-girl, 1 guy band that does straightahead indie-rock. (Neile)I love the first album, and find the second one OK but not as powerful. The observant will note that half of the band departed between the two CDs, and a superb singer/songwriter, Kristie Stremel, started her own group. My opinion is that the band owed much of its excellence to Kristie, and I offer as proof the work she did with her band Exit 159, and as a (primarily) solo artist. Nothing against Heidi, but both Exit 159 (now defunct) and Kristie deserve some attention! (Greg Dunn)
Recommended first album:
Either
Recordings:
- Count To Ten (1996)
- Safe Ride Home (1999)
Count To Ten
Release info:
1996—TriStar/Sony—6692-36831-2
Availability:
Wide in U.S.
Ecto priority:
Recommended for indie-rock fans
Group members:
Heidi Phillips—vocals, guitar
Megan Hamilton—drums
Justine Volpe—bass
Kristie Stremel—guitar, backing vocals
Produced by:
A.P. Alexakis
Comments:
Great indie rock to play loud! (Neile)Picked it up the day after hearing "Trust" on a sampler. Extra Crunchy and a bit uneven, but when it hits the mark it's *spot* on. The repeat button on my player has probably had its life expectancy shortened by 5 years owing to numerous tracks here. (rjk1@cs.wustl.edu)
Safe Ride Home
Release info:
1999—Sony/Columbia
Availability:
Wide
Ecto priority:
For pop/punk fans
Group members and guest artists:
Billy Joe Johnson—drums
Doug McBride—piano
Heidi Phillips—guitar, vocals
Louise Post—background vocals
Eric Remschneider—cello
David Suycott—drums
Justine Volpe—bass, background vocals
Produced by:
Doug McBride
Comments:
The Missouri trio gets their Columbia Records debut with almost too typical pop/punk. The music hits its stride when the vocal harmonies are consistent with the riffhooks like in "How Would You Know" and "World Crash." Vocals from Heidi Phillips are occasionally (and purposely) dry and low-key but works in songs like the loner anthem "Empty Room." (thecritics@earthlink.net)
