Entry 835 - Frog Concert - Lullaby of the Crystal Eyed Squeaker

Style: Dungeon synth, classical

Primary Emotions/Themes: An odd sense of tranquility and acceptance of the world around me. Enlightenment through contemplation

Thoughts: What happens when frogs get ahold of classical instrument? Who would listen? What would it sound like? Lullaby of the Crystal Eyed Squeaker answers all of these questions so that enquiring minds no longer need wonder.

As silly as the idea of a Frog Concert is, there is nothing silly at all about Lullaby of the Crystal Eyed Squeaker. The thirteen tracks on this album are nothing short of magical. This collection of tunes is some of the absolute finest music to cross my ears this year and will undoubtedly end up on my best of the year list.

Lullaby is largely a string driven album. Violins, viola, and cello create a string quartet feeling that is explored in a lot of different ways. Sometimes it's accompanied by piano, other times an organ, other times they just are allowed to be by themselves. That's not to say that the strings are present in every song. There are quite a few tracks where they are absent, however they do seem to be the predominant instrument in the album.  

The music itself brings out the very best in me. The album is one of the most peaceful and contemplative works that is in my collection. The way that these songs are structured allow me to take the notes in slowly and deliberately.

There are points in the album where it almost feels minimalistic, but the execution is anything but. It feels so simple and so complete that it's easy to miss the small details in the background. The melody will be played off a violin or a piano, and it's easy to miss the sounds of the swamp in the background or the counter melody that is subtly played off a second instrument. I absolutely adore this kind of music composition.

I can't put into words how much this album has impacted me. I was put onto this album by a close friend and I feel I owe him a debt of gratitude for it. It only made things better when the package came from the Frog Concert Maestro himself, including a hand written note on a sheet of music thanking me for my purchase. This whole release makes me smile, it makes me warm inside, it brings me peace.

Written June 5th 2024