Bullfrog

Bullfrog (1976). Somewhat enjoyable hard rock/prog in the style of Jane, mainly. Singer Gerd Hoch has an astoundingly gruff, rough voice that's going to be hard for some listeners to take, but his style largely suits the music. Not really a whole lot of prog on the A-side, pretty much straight-up hard boogie rock. The last two tracks, both extending longer than ten minutes, are the reasons to get this album. Full of Floydian changes and an Eloy-like spaciness, they're well-done for this style of music. Nice layers of celestial synths and aggressive Hammond organ from keysman Harald Kaltencker. Italian drummer Bruno Perosa (whose prior prog pedigree extends to playing the percussion-y bits in "Canto Nomade per un Prigioniero Politico" on Banco's Io Sono Nato Libero album) even adds a cosmic recitation (in Italian!) at the beginning of "Desert Man"…

Green Bullfrog were a group that only existed on paper, and scarcely officially in that medium, either, because of all the hairs that had to be split (and names unnamed) in existing contracts to get their record made. Ritchie Blackmore, Tony Ashton, Big Jim Sullivan, Albert Lee, Chas Hodges, Matthew Fisher, and Ian Paice are just some of the luminaries who showed up for the super session, which was recorded in the first half of 1970 and issued on LP in America in 1971, a year earlier than it was in Europe. With the identities of the bandmembers effectively hidden behind pseudonyms, it's not entirely surprising that the album never rose beyond cult status on either side of the Atlantic. The whole project was the brainchild of producer Derek Lawrence, who roped these former members of his stable into doing him the favor.

As Jerry Lewis said to Stella Stevens in the Nutty Professor, "That's a real toe tapper Miss Purdy" and toe tappers are what you get on the first four tracks. If that isn't cool enough, the last two tracks are outstanding progressive rock tunes. The lead guitar is magical and mystical and a buzz and headphones, although not required, are great accessories…

Nice, very melodic semi-progressive hard rock from the late 70's German scene. The singing is an aquired taste because the singer has a very rough voice, similar to Charly Maucher of Jane and Harlis, and the singer for the Italian band Jumbo…

Solid heavy Krautrock with some progressive moves. It is obvious that Bullfrog have always had a commercial break-through in mind, and it sounds like they have focused on this more than ever with "Second Wind", as they had their sights on American sucess…