Oh, you Frogs! Admired by legions of rockers-- Eddie Vedder, Billy Corgan, the Breeders, Jim O'Rourke, etc.-- the Frogs have been gradually waltzing their way into shock-rock's hall of fame since their 1989 debut It's Only Right and Natural. And even before that, it seems. Earlier this year, Jim O'Rourke's Moikai imprint reissued the Frogs' obscure 1988 full- length debut. Well, now comes Bananimals, a compilation of songs they've recorded over the past few years.

Bananimals features 16 tracks of the same juvenile incarnation of the band than we're used to. The entire album was recorded on the Flemion family two- track recorder. And if there's one thing that detracts from the overall quality of Bananimals, it's that the production is pretty thin. Really, you guys? A two- track? Is that necessary? Book some time with Billy, y'know? How hard could it be to conjure up some studio time?

But then, that's kind of the point-- this isn't shit you'd come up with in a studio environment (hopefully). It's the kind of stuff that just happens spontaneously in your parents' bedroom-- those rare moments when everything fits together perfectly. What this method of recording really exercises is a certain spontanaity that would never be achievable if you were consciously trying to please a core audience. That's kind of a beautiful thing, in a way. I mean, the Frogs can be racist, sexist, and generally immature, but in doing so, they're dropping every element of pretentiousness that normally comes into play when you're a recording "artist." They aren't really racist or sexist in their daily lives (that we know of)-- in fact, they're remarkably pro-gay-- they just wanna get a rise out of people.

Of course, the Frogs are also white males-- do they have any place promoting racism or sexism as comedy? Probably not. Thing is, their albums don't go that deep. Face it-- people have different views. And while there seems to be a general consensus about what should and shouldn't be said, if only for human rights purposes, it doesn't mean that someone who says the direct opposite is wrong; they just have a different opinion.

That said, Bananimals is a pretty hit- or- miss affair. What saves it from being a throwaway bedroom experiment is that some of these tracks are tremendous pop songs-- songs so good they're worth wading through shit like "Is It Right to Kiss the Boys (When You're a Girl and Not a Boy?)." But yes, even the great songs fail to deliver, to some degree, because they seem unfinished. So, here's the thing: Bananimals is kind of like a nice, long demo tape. Some of the stuff is great, some of it's shitty, but it's all recorded using primitive equipment and bad micing. In short, it's a great record for a Frogs fan, but if you're new to these guys, I might suggest their 1989 masterpiece It's Only Right and Natural or their Corgan- produced 1996 EP, Starjob.

-Ryan Schreiber