DIIV – Frog In Boiling Water review

Once the solo project of Zachary Cole Smith, DIIV’s 2012 album Oshin set the blogosphere (Remember that?) ablaze, but the years since have in part been blighted by his public struggles with substance abuse amongst other woes – and it’s been five year’s since the band’s last album, Deceiver.

All was nearly lost for the quartet if you believe the backstory to Frog In Boiling Water, a record which had a difficult genesis that was only resolved through a band summit meeting. The results remain noticeably heavier than the sound of their debut, the meter swinging between My Bloody Valentine style overloads and a more introverted 90’s alt rock posture.

There’s almost certainly a handle for it out there somewhere – grungegaze, maybe? – but the legions of believers DIIV have recruited will doubtless see the messianic still in the likes of opener In Amber, the angsty millenialist Soul-net and the record’s melodic, fx-drenched core, as represented by Somber The Drums and Little Birds. The Frog In Boiling Water of the title is us; never quite as bleak as it seemingly wants to be, it’s halfway house is halfway good, but not worth waiting half a decade for.

You can read a full review here.