Sounds of North American Frogs

Browsing the massive archives of the Smithsonian Folkways label, you find a treasure trove of records about subjects you never knew you wanted to know about. There is various folk music from any country you can imagine on offer, but also tons of bizarre things. Field recordings of cable cars, exercise instructions, audio biographies of dogs, you name it. Sounds of North American Frogs is one of those more unusual records in the catalog, and it’s a fascinating one. The album is the culmination of herpetologist Charles M. Bogert’s lifetime of work, a comprehensive anthology of frog croaks interspersed with his own educational narration. If you’re only accustomed to the sounds of cartoon frogs—usually based on the bassy bleats of the common bullfrog—you’ll be shocked at the huge range of sounds that frogs are capable of making. Some sound percussive, some melodic, and some can even make a sound reminiscent of an electric guitar. Who knew frogs were so talented?