Taking on Tay Tay with tree frog tunes

CAN an undistinguished little rainforest frog beat superstar Taylor Swift on the ARIA charts? That’s the bold ambition of the creators of album Songs of Disappearance, which features the calls of the critically endangered Kuranda tree frog among 50 frog tracks.

The Australian Museum, in collaboration with Bowerbird Collective, has found an ingenious way to showcase the sounds we Far Northerners are so familiar with. The Kuranda tree frog is a very unassuming little fellow, but does have a distinctive range of calls including a courtship call and a long, slow call as males warn each other off.

It is only found in a 15km radius around Kuranda.

The Bowerbird Collective’s Anthony Albrecht is quietly confident the frogs can rule the charts, after working with the Australian Museum a couple of years ago, creating a birdlife album that garnered phenomenal support and hit No.2 on the ARIA charts.

Although it sounds cute, Mr Albrecht says it’s aimed at highlighting the state of threatened species – and that’s something the Australian public is keen to get behind.

Taylor Swift has half a dozen albums prominent on the ARIA charts and her latest effort, Midnights, is firmly entrenched in No.1.

She has sold over 200 million records, has 11 Grammy Awards, a social conscience – and wry sense of humour.

The cat-loving pop star probably wouldn’t mind being toppled by the humble Kuranda tree frog.

But it’s up to us to tune in to Songs of Disappearance and listen to some beautiful, soothing croaking and help push the album to the top.

Bronwyn Farr, Senior Reporter