Frozen Letter is Spider Bags’ first release for Merge Records and the fourth album for this Chapel Hill band. It delivers a solid follow-up to their 2012 critically acclaimed Shake My Head. Known for their obsessive garage rock sound filtered through some effervescent power pop and hints of R&B, Spider Bags gets less pop and playful with Frozen Letter and explores two new elements that make the album less coherent but strong nonetheless - slow acoustic rhythms and longer tracks. The album is practically divided in two parts. The first four tracks are fast, loaded with catchy riffs, and continue the vigorous sound found on Shake My Head. The last four tracks of the album navigate through different moments where acoustic intros or outros, in-studio experimentation with vocals, guitars or even field recordings adhere to the tracks to expand their length and their meaning. However, frontman Dan McGee’s voice, which is reminiscent of J Mascis, along with his distinctive lyrics, holds Frozen Letter together.

RIYL: Redd Kross, Thee Oh Sees, The Modern Lovers, Sloan, Dinosaur Jr., & Apache Dropout.

FCC CLEAN!!
Recommended Tracks: 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, and 8

1. (2:38) **Back With You Again In The World – Nice opener. Up-tempo, riff-driven rocker.
2. (2:18) *Japanese Vacation – A nice companion to the previous track. Cool guitars.
3. (2:51) **Chem Trails – The single of the album. Solid track.
4. (3:30) **Summer of '79 – A John Wesley Coleman’s cover. One of my favorite songs on the album.
5. (6:32) Coffin Car – A darker and moodier territory here. Pretty chord patterns towards the end.
6. (5:11) Walking Bubble – Strange track with enigmatic lyrics. Bubbly.
7. (5:30) *We Got Problems – Heavy repetitive patterns and a slew of affected guitars. Inspired tune.
8. (5:29) *Eyes Of Death – Another great riff-driven rocker. Yeah!