1989 was a very, very different time: an era in which two straight men could record an album full of DIY folk songs that goaded with “ironic,” over-the-top references to gay sex AND garner praise from the top echelon of alt-rock celebrity. Brothers Jimmy and Dennis Flemion were punk provocateurs whose sometimes politically-transgressive and sometimes downright-offensive lyrics won them the sympathy from the likes of Kurt Cobain, Harmony Korine, and the Smashing Pumpkins.
On August 16, The End of All Music will re-issue the band’s sophomore LP It’s Only Right and Natural; a remastered version of the album’s opening track, “I’ve Got Drugs (Out of the Mist),” is streaming now.
The Frogs were active until Dennis Flemion’s accidental drowning in 2012. While polarizing among both liberals and conservatives (not least because of anti-religious jabs), the duo has nevertheless built a dedicated fan base and a cult status in some circles. Their live shows have been noted for their originality, and records praised for sheer musicality. Harmony Korine wrote: “One of the brothers would play a huge kettle drum and almost do these quasi-surrealist minstrels. The music was so good because it wasn’t really just conceptual, it was pop; once you got over the crudeness of the lyrics, the songs themselves were beautiful pop music.”
The vinyl reissue can be pre-ordered here. Listen to “I’ve Got Drugs (Out of the Mist)” below:
[Visit full site to view media]It's Only Right and Natural by The Frogs
It’s Only Right and Natural tracklisting:
01. I’ve Got Drugs (Out of the Mist)
02. I Don’t Care If U Disrespect Me (Just so You Love Me)
03. Hot Cock Annie
04. These Are the Finest Queen Boys (I’ve Ever Seen)
05. Rosy Jack World
06. Someone’s Pinning Me to the Ground
07. Baby Greaser George
08. (Thank God I Died in) The Car Crash
09. Gather ‘round for Savior #2
10. Richard Dick Richards
11. Men (Come On Men)
12. Dyked Are We
13. Been a Month Since I Had a Man
14. Homos