Pitchfork

Hey, even the academically successful get a little choked up sometimes! Hence, Canadian agit-pop tremblers Frog Eyes have Tears of the Valedictorian, the quartet's previously mentioned fourth full-length, set for May 1 release via Absolutely Kosher. Frog Eyes' fellow Canadians can scoop it up the same day via Scratch.

Tears of the Valedictorian collects nine new tracks from Carey Mercer (also of Swan Lake) and company, featuring typically zany titles and copious punctuation. The LP follows up last July's Acuarela EP The Future Is Inter-Disciplinary or Not at All, and guess what? Frog Eyes hit the road this spring to support their latest creation, yapping and yelping down to SXSW for a one-off showcase spot, then circumnavigating the continent in May.

Tears of the Valedictorian:

01 Idle Songs
02 Caravan Breakers, They Prey on the Weak and the Old
03 "Stockades"
04 Reform the Countryside
05 The Policy Merchant, the Silver Bay
06 Evil Energy, the Ill Twin of...
07 ...Eagle Energy
08 Bushels
09 My Boats They Go

Frog tracks:

03-17 Austin, TX - SXSW (Absolutely Kosher Showcase)
04-14 Victoria, British Columbia - Logan's Pub
05-01 Seattle, WA - Crocodile
05-04 San Francisco, CA - Bottom of the Hill
05-05 Los Angeles, CA - The Echo
05-10 Denton, TX - Rubber Gloves
05-11 Austin, TX - Emo's
05-12 Houston, TX - Proletariat
05-15 Chapel Hill, NC - Local 506
05-16 Washington, DC - Rock & Roll Hotel
05-17 Philadelphia, PA - Johnny Brenda's
05-18 New York, NY - Mercury Lounge
05-22 Montreal, Quebec - La Sala Rossa
05-24 Toronto, Ontario - Sneaky Dee's
05-25 Cleveland, OH - Beachland Ballroom
05-27 Chicago, IL - Schubas