From a radioactive swamp in the wilds of Allen County comes the rockin’ Frogman, an amphibian that rocks a lily pad with the best of ’em. Nobody knows the origins of Frogman, but if you’re into garage/psych/punk/surf rock, then he has some tunes you’re going to dig.

The six-song EP Frogman and the Friends of Frogman wastes no time jumping into echoing whoops and hollers while guitars buzz and screech with frizzle fry glee. The Friends of Frogman are Patrick Mathews (vocals, guitar), Will Heingartner (vocals, guitar), Daniel Gomez (bass), and Lane West (drums). These four have made an album with no lulls nor filler. ’60s garage rock morphs into ’70s Detroit punk and they all come together into a surf rock kaleidoscope. Frogs, it seems, rock. And rock hard.

Opener “Soul Reason” captures the spirit of bands like The Stooges and MC5, letting buzzing chords and a solid rhythm section lead the way. Likewise with “Mutual Demise,” a more proto-punk track that somehow combines The Descendents with The Ventures in a surf-meets-The Decline of Western Civilization cocktail. “Satan’s Door” is all doomy psych with vocals that sound like Fear’s Lee Ving fronting The 13th Floor Elevators.

Elsewhere, “Velvet Coffin” starts out strong and ends in a sea of chaotic noise and psychedelic swirl. The EP closes on the seven-minute sonic tirade “Acid Amigo.” I can almost imagine the sonic overload of a triple bill including Frogman and The Friends of Frogman, Strange Waters, and Heaven’s Gateway Drugs.

Frogman and The Friends of Frogman cover a lot of ground, from the garage/psych of Thee Oh Sees and Ty Segall to The Stooges to even some surf rock for good measure. It all comes together into a powerhouse EP. 

Hot-blooded, cold-blooded, it doesn’t matter. Frogman and The Friends of Frogman got you covered.