Philip Frobos

Philip Frobos first built recognition as bassist and vocalist in the noise pop outfit Carnivores before filling a comparable role in the admired post-punk revival pair Omni. Already established for creating intelligent, memorable music, he stepped forward alone in 2021 with Vague Enough to Satisfy. This lean, home-recorded new wave project doubled as the soundtrack to his identically titled novel.

Born in Atlanta, Frobos started his earliest group Carnivores in 2009, stirring up noise rock tinged with Southern gothic atmosphere. Across the first half of the 2010s the band issued several albums while cultivating ties with regional acts such as Deerhunter, whose own unconventional sound followed a parallel path. After Carnivores ended, Frobos linked up with ex-Deerhunter guitarist Frankie Broyles to launch the post-punk duo Omni. In contrast to the modest profile of his prior project, Omni gained swift traction; following two albums on the respected indie label Trouble in Mind—Deluxe in 2016 and Multi-task in 2017—plus repeated tours, the group moved to Sub Pop for 2019’s Networker.

Multiple side efforts occupied Frobos by that point, among them a novel and a solo album conceived as its musical counterpart. The story follows a musician in his thirties from Atlanta through his time in Germany and his return home. Hex Enduction books released the novel Vague Enough to Satisfy in October 2021; simultaneously Upset the Rhythm issued the matching album. Handling every instrument himself, Frobos explored post-punk terrain akin to Omni yet delivered it in a far more intimate, “side two of Bowie’s Low meets a B-52s demo” manner.