Myth and Man

Frozen Taco proudly presents the tenth album: Myth and Man. Copyright 1992-2004, Frozen Taco. All music by Theron Welch, All lyrics by Matthew Reiss, Design art by Jason Wood. This album was recorded at the Bedside, Columbus, GA, December - January 1991/1992.

Listen to the entire album:

1. Tell The Tale
2. Saint George And The Dragon
3. Achilles Heel
4. Ragnarok

Myth and Man, more than any other album, was Frozen Taco’s breakthrough album. This album gave me more personal satisfaction of accomplishment and improvement over previous efforts than no other album of ours has. This is FT’s first concept album, and though the album is very short, I never feel like it’s too short or that there isn’t enough substance contained inside. This is the start of our consistent, more serious toned, albums. The album is also the first that doesn’t have a joke song on it. Each of the four songs is strong: “Tell the Tale” features my first step into the more artsy style of guitar playing that I was to develop in coming years (brought about by studying the violin and classical music). It also features one of my favorite dramatic and rich chord progressions. “Saint George and the Dragon” is the unique song with its dichotomy between acoustic and electric feels. It’s hard to mistake “the dragon” that divides the two sections of the song. This was our first song to ever be played widely (for us) on the radio. “Achilles Heel” is my favorite of the lot. I really enjoy the stark intro of conflict/resolution chords, one of my favorite chord progressions during the verse, and the electric guitar triplets that usher in the chorus modulation. “Ragnarok” is probably my favorite of Frozen Taco’s more rock or metal based songs. But, true to Frozen Taco form, this is no typical rock song. I especially enjoy the flipped tonality of chords during the verses that convey the change in feel to Matt’s lyrics. The middle section of the song is really different in so many ways from the verse and chorus. It really helps give the song a lot more breadth and the wending guitar solo slowly cascades its way back to one final verse. -Theron Welch, Seattle, January 2004

Myth & Man is the shortest FT album to date (only 4 songs), but it is a prime example that quality is more important than quantity. The album is consistently high quality. This was the first FT album to have a theme. Each song explores the cultural importance of mythology. Tell the Tale serves as a preamble, describing the direction that the album will take. The other songs examine particular myths, hence their names: St. George and the Dragon, Achilles’ Heel and Ragnarok. Ragnarok is a mini-opera, telling the story of the end of the world, according to Norse mythology. The changes in mood are quite dramatic, much like the drastic mood shift in St. George and the Dragon. The epic nature of the arrangements matches the heroic themes of Myth & Man. St. George and the Dragon got some air time on our local radio station. I remember hearing the song on the radio for the first time and feeling so excited. Words can’t do justice to the strange mix of emotions one gets at a time like that – pride, joy, a tinge of embarrassment, satisfaction – all rolled into one. I’m glad I experienced it. -Matthew Reiss, Kansas City 2004

Lyrics

Tell the Tale

What is the connect between man and his myths of old? Is there something for us to learn in woven tales of gold?

Icons of a culture; legends of and age. Listen for the ring of truth in stories told by bard and sage.

St. George and the dragon; Achilles and his fatal flaw tell of values held on high – transcending time and law.

Tell the tale of lore; tell the tale of myth. Pass the story down through time, to whomever you be with.

Icons of a culture; legends of and age. Listen for the ring of truth in stories told by bard and sage.

Medusa, Charybdis, the banshee and the grail. The white hart and the sphinx, Pandora – tell the tale.

What is the connect between man and his myths of old? Is there something for us to learn in woven tales of gold?

Tell the tale of lore; tell the tale of myth. Pass the story down through time, to whomever you be with.

Valhalla, pixies, leprechauns, the siren and the grail. The white hart and the sphinx, Pandora – tell the tale.

Tell the tale of lore; tell the tale of myth. Pass the story down through time, to whomever you be with.

St. George and the Dragon

A solitary requiem: a chain of events lead to this misfortune. I built myself a fence.

March on through the darkness, you beat the drum alone. It lacks conviction; it has an empty tone.

Fight the ugly specter, don’t gaze into its eyes. Feeling all but left you; don’t hear the dragon’s cries.

The dragon is your loneliness; St. George is inside you. Arm yourself with courage. Battle ‘til its through.

A solitary requiem: a chain of events lead to this misfortune. I built myself a fence.

March on through the darkness, you beat the drum alone. It lacks conviction; it has an empty tone.

Keep fighting; keep trying; keep living; not dying.

Fight the ugly specter, don’t gaze into its eyes. Feeling all but left you; don’t hear the dragon’s cries.

Keep fighting; keep trying; keep living; not dying.

The dragon is your loneliness; St. George is inside you. Arm yourself with courage. Battle ‘til its through.

Achilles’ Heel

My future stems from my own past – trials performed in days gone by. Things I’ve done, and things I’ve left undone – deeds I did not dare to try.

But I know that in this world, we have a steady hand on fate, But once we close off all our doors, the twisted road turns all too straight. We are not born with an Achilles heel. We make our own lives, our futures are real. Don’t fool yourself, you know what you feel. We are not born with an Achilles heel.

The fortuneteller reads the cards, the gypsy reads the palm. And for a fee your future can be forecast safe and calm.

But I know that here and now, if I move towards a change, No prophecy can predict my life’s unending range.

We are not born with an Achilles heel. We make our own lives, our futures are real. Don’t fool yourself, you know what you feel. We are not born with an Achilles heel.

Your life story – it is a book with chapters yet to come. Don’t sit back and read the tale, or blame the place where you come from.

We all are authors if we choose. The script of life awaits your hand. Take care as you write each page. Take a chance and make a stand.

We are not born with an Achilles heel. We make our own lives, our futures are real. Don’t fool yourself, you know what you feel. We are not born with an Achilles heel.

Ragnarok

In Asgard all was silent, for the prophecy of doom had started to unfold itself. The ending would be soon.

The Twilight of the Gods they said. The Fates had spoken so. And on his throne great Odin wept, then grabbed his spear and met his foe.

Loki lead the giants o’er the Bifrost Bridge. From Jotunheim the horde came on. They quickly captured Gladsheim ridge.

The giants lay in siege that night, and humans watched the sky. The stars themselves appeared to dim, though mortals knew not why.

Perched on the eve of ending, the great ones lay awake. Sleep, it would not comfort them. They waited for day to break.

As morning rose a battle raged. Both god and giant fell. And in the end no one stood. The immortals had said farewell.

And in the end no one stood. The immortals had said farewell.

Banished from the heavens. Extinguished like a flame. Now they only live in myth. Our songs record their deed and name.

And to this day the myth remains of good and evil’s wrath. The Twilight of the Gods had come. Now mortals must walk their path.