For almost a decade, Murfreesboro-area’s civic-minded artist/wall influencer Ryan Frizzell, a.k.a. The Rhinovirus, has canvassed (and dressed) a plethora of formerly drab local establishments around Murfreesboro proper (usually along with power-muralist-partner-not-in-crime Meagan Armes). The Rhinovirus’ permitted street graffiti murals incorporate stenciling, pasting and sharply sprayed Rhinovirus or pop-culture characters over cityscapes and pop-psychedelia motifs, aesthetic pleasantries that continue to steadily pop up in our paths.
Seamlessly swapping artsy “a.k.a.’s” however, Frizzell lets The Rhinovirus walls dry while he picks up his axe to become frontman of rock trio Thunderfrog, who in October 2020 released the lo-fi, six-song, indie-produced and released Bring it Back, recorded live at Shelbyville’s Bring It Back Games. He kept Armes around for the musical endeavor.
Thunderfrog—Frizzell on lead vocals and guitar, Meagan Armes metal-punk thumping the bass and John Miller holding down drums and backing vocals— blasts sounds reminiscent of the two thousand aught’s after-school, MTV rock scene. Frizzell nails an A. Jay Popoff (of Lit) vocal style on the original tune “Live Wire,” driving its Baby, I’m your man dive-bar blues lyrics to a Lit-ish, alt-rock, pop-punk jam.
The trio tosses in a couple of covers on the release with Weezer’s “The World Has Turned (And Left Me Here),” Frizzell adding a hint of Pee Wee Herman to the Popoff vocality during stressed notes, but not during a near-perfect replication of Rivers’ solo from the original Weezer version; and Green Day’s “Coming Clean” explodes out of the gate, where Miller shows off his timely Tre Cool chops.
Thunderfrog’s roadhouse romance “Clementine” sounds like an ’80s Van Halen punk-fuzzed a Southern highway blues number with Frizzell’s growling vocals. I can imagine it blasting from distant open garage doors late at night. Frizzell seems outside of his body, having a ball playing “How Was I to Know,” containing proper usage of the floor tom, a nicely placed Tom Morello-esque guitar solo and solid outro.
Armes’ bass’ metal-punk duality paired with Frizzell’s grunge guitar and finding his own voice make the arena metal, punch-rock, fight anthem original “Batefoot” a locally tapped source of adrenaline nary harvested since Ghostfinger’s “Love My Head.”
The release is truly Thunderfrog rocking a game and toy shop.
Thunderfrog’s Bring It Back (Live EP) can be found on Bandcamp at thunderfrog.bandcamp.com, where they’re “playing on the slickest of Tennessee twang for a 2-piece ’n’ a biscuit that you’ve ever damned heard!”
As for The Rhinovirus, there’s a time-lapse video of Frizzell and Armes painting a Tennessee barn mural in Milton, Tennessee, posted at facebook.com/therhinovirus. Smaller works by The Rhinovirus have recently made a cameo in Amazon’s streaming movie 3 Days 3 Nights, filmed at the Murfreesboro Public Square’s Two-Tone Art Gallery; as well as at Smyrna Public Library, where The Rhinovirus was April 2021’s featured showcase artist. Find more from the Rhinovirus on redbubble.com.
