On “Identity Thief,” Austin alternative rockers Frogmouth are certainly sure of themselves.
And rightfully so.
With a band name taken from a night-dwelling species of birds — the group’s logo is an owl — Frogmouth makes its full-length debut with spring 2025’s “Identity Thief.” In the spirit of the 4-piece’s owl moniker, and with the same roaring energy of the group’s 2023 EP, “Humor Me,” Frogmouth continue to embody the wisdom and security that arrives with experience, in music and in life.
The band consists of Jesse Hodges on vocals/guitar, Jay Ziegler on lead guitar/vocals, Jordan Goldman on drums/backing vocals, and Angus Barrs (arriving on ‘Identity Thief,’ replacing Hodges’s exceptional, college-bound daughter, Mia) on bass/backing vocals.
Frogmouth focuses on more introspective songs throughout the new album versus the group’s speedy, 6-song post-pandemic EP.
“[The title] ‘Identity Thief’ [was] originally suggested by Jordan Goldman’s son Sebastian, with no obvious connection to the songs that had been written.” Frogmouth writes on Bandcamp.
Upon reflection, however, it became apparent that themes of losing oneself (‘Imposter Syndrome,’ ‘Strays’), searching for oneself (‘Long In the Tooth’), or straight-up thievery (‘Another Body Count’) ran strongly throughout the entire album, and thus the name was quickly adopted.”
Frogmouth is a band with songwriting chops and polished but propelling production. The best thing about them, though, is their ability to capture that ’90s-influenced punk, power pop and grunge energy – they take the best things about their influences, like Superchunk, The Clash, XTC and San Antonio favorites, Rush, to craft both heavy and catchy originals.
From Cheap Trick-ish album opener “Easy Lies” to the dub-inspired “Imposter Syndrome” and the plaintive “Strays,” there’s certainly no shortage of great guitar, bass and drum riffs on this album. The lyrics on this record are at once reflective and uniquely adventurous; “Long In the Tooth” is a punk-influenced ode to a father gone too soon, while the grunge-y “Another Body Count” tells the (fictional) ambitious tale of an existential crisis in the middle of a bank heist.
Each musician contributes his own inspired elements to the song, delivering textured bangers with every track.
Fast and direct all the way through, “Identity Thief” clocks in at just 34 minutes – short ‘n’ sweet, but it earns it. Each song is as driving and head-bob worthy as the next. And we’re here for it.
Although the band is based in Austin, San Antonio has shown up and shown out to “vibe” with the thrill of Frogmouth.
“I love playing music wherever I am, but playing in San Antonio has been a different vibe altogether! I think people don’t take live music for granted as much as they do in Austin, and it seems like it’s a bit more special to those audiences. San Antonio is also a town that still appreciates all varieties of rock music, so that’s awesome!” says drummer Jordan Goldman.
On Wednesday, October 15, the group announced a new single, “Clockmaker,” out this Halloween.
“’Clockmaker’… [delves] into new territory with different sonic palettes we haven’t explored previously,” Goldman adds.
While the family men intend to break for the holidays, Goldman states that Frogmouth plans to return to San Antonio – the one and only Heavy Metal Capital of the World – for more shows in 2026.
Meanwhile, they’re just a hop, skip, and a jump away in Austin, rocking out and soaring high.
LINKS:
Identity Thief (2025) on Bandcamp: https://frogmouth-atx.bandcamp.com/album/identity-thief
Stream Music by Frogmouth: https://linktr.ee/frogmouthatx
Black and white photo at top of story also by Patrick Larson
