Bullfrog Brown - Moon and Central

File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Time: 33:53
Size: 77.6 MB
Styles: Delta Blues, Acoustic Blues
Released: 2009
Art: full

1. Hurtin' Street (1:38)
2. Leave You Sleepin' (3:21)
3. Road (5:11)
4. Shadows (2:32)
5. Scent Of A Woman (3:55)
6. Paint Your Shadow On The Wall (2:58)
7. Whiskers (2:46)
8. Two Left Feet (3:00)
9. Years Past Midnight (1:52)
10. Blues For Breakfast (live) (6:35)

Personnel:
Alar Kriisa - vocals, harmonica, guitar
Andres Roots - guitar, percussion
L.R. Phoenix - backing vocals (1, 3)
Nikolaj Andersen - violin (3, 4)
Peeter Jõgioja - percussion (7)
Peeter Piik - bass, percussion
Steve Lury - harmonica (10)

Notes: Featuring guest appearances by L.R. Phoenix (UK/FIN), Nikolaj Andersen (DK), Peeter Jõgioja (EST) and Steve Lury (UK), Bullfrog Brown's "Moon and Central" is also the first album cut with Bullfrog's fresh trio line-up of Alar Kriisa on vocals and harmonica, Andres Roots on guitar, and Peeter Piik on bass. Hailed as their finest by fans and critics alike, "Moon and Central" is more electric and eclectic than it's predecessors, more Americana than straight Blues, and already the biggest seller in the band's catalogue.

Listening to the songs for several times, of course, it's best to write down on the basis of a bit of experience. For some reason, I had to imagine a few times what could be droneblues or bluesdrone (or just a deep blue bluish). To do the part of the song and then, after 5-10 minutes, simply let the pussies dig and whistle and lean. I imagined where the change could be. Next, I thought it would be nice if a bit of Estonian would sound on the disc. Outro, intro, some songs or just a few seconds' talk or call. To not just be international music, it's a moment that will make a non-Estonian one. The same thought was followed by the fact that it would be nice to listen to extra-mouthed moments on the disc. In a word, I would be in such a band, doing so differently. Fortunately I'm not making music. Without a bluesmith, it must be noted that the disc is fully listenable. Sorry, but did not watch or read the lyrics.

Moon and Central

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Bullfrog Brown - Mother River Delta / Twelve Live Warthogs

Album: Mother River Delta
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Time: 16:45
Size: 39,0 MB
Released: 2008
Styles: Delta Blues, Acoustic Blues
Art: Full

1. Nobody The Skull (3:51)
2. Special Rider (2:10)
3. 30 (2:51)
4. Nothing But Trouble (2:08)
5. The Wagon Swing (1:56)
6. Talkin' Drinkin' Man (1:48)
7. Rain (1:59)

The most famous Estonian blues band strikes powerfully back in 2008 with two new and superb albums.

There have been significance changes in the structure of Bullfrog Brown, with the departure of long-time harp player Üllar Kärt at the end of 2006, and the band now settled as a duo composed by Alar Kriisa on vocals and Andres Roots on guitar, but the essence remains the same, if not better, leaving the two remaining members more freedom to jam and join forces with other musicians such as British harpist Steve Lury or the Scottish Dave Arcari.

The young talented Estonian bluesmen feature a new studio album: Mother River Delta. Condensed in less than 20 minutes of total playing time, Alar and Andres go straight to business playing raw Delta Blues. No time here for excessive ornamentation in the sound. The guys know what they want to deliver, and they do it fast: Alar´s broken voice sounds like if he was just born to sing Blues, and Andres pushes firmly mastering the strings of the guitar. These are not recently composed songs; actually the excellent introductory Nobody the Skull dates back to 1996 and the rest of songs have been composed at different years during the last decade. The follow-up track, Special Rider, has a catchy wiping guitar riff that surely makes you move your feet and this leads to 30, my favourite track of the album, with acid lyrics and a perfect graduation of the musical tempo.

The album decreases a bit in intensity during its second part, but the ending Rain definitely puts the cherry on top of the cake creating a relaxed musical atmosphere that transports your instantly to the Mississippi delta. The message transmitted by the album seems clear; while with their previous Snakes and Devils, details aimed at trying to delight bigger audiences, this time the guys just want to show that they do not give a damn about playing other thing that what they really love to, Delta Blues with roots (and with guts). Mother River Delta was released last April while the band hit the stages of London, but if you do not have it yet, do not waste your time waiting for 2009 to get one copy!

Mother River Delta

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Album: Twelve Live Warthogs
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Time: 33:30
Size: 78,1 MB
Released: 2008
Styles: Delta Blues, Acoustic Blues
Art: Full

1. Build Me A Statue (3:44)
2. Feed The Habit (2:13)
3. I'll See You, Mr.Blues (3:07)
4. Two Left Feet (2:21)
5. Snakes Were Gettin' (2:52)
6. Special Rider (2:05)
7. Phantom Menace (3:49)
8. Whiskers (1:59)
9. The Windows Are Shakin' (2:17)
10. Somebody Turn On The Heat (3:02)
11. Lonesome Cowboy (1:38)
12. Papa Wolf (4:17)

Added to the previous one, and just released in the market, you also have the chance to listen to the new official live bootleg of the Bullfrog: Twelve Live Warthogs. It combines 6 tracks recorded on June 26th 2008 at Tampere Maja (Tartu) with 6 more recorded during their show on December 13th 2007 at Trehv (Tartu). The record compiles a great collection of songs that give you a good idea of how they sound live, with that tiny shy guy that Alar is totally transformed when holding the micro, like if he would be the Dr Jekyll/Mr Hide of the Estonian blues scene. Great anthems of the band like Build me a Statue, Phantom Menace or Snakes Were Gettin’ are compulsorily included there, sounding better than ever, and as a special surprise the final track includes the improvised song: Papa Wolf.

Who said blues is dead? Bullfrog Brown’s music just leads you to hold a good bottle of whisky and think about an old lost love. In the end it is all about the Blues. ~Review by Antonio Diaz

Twelve Live Warthogs

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Bullfrog Brown - With Steve Lury

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:37
Size: 102.1 MB
Styles: Delta blues
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[3:30] 1. Blues For Breakfast
[2:58] 2. Pumpkin Blues
[4:55] 3. Papa Wolf
[3:25] 4. Modern Times
[4:08] 5. Dust In The Groove
[2:37] 6. Narva Road Breakdown
[6:36] 7. Snake Girl Blues
[3:08] 8. Wicked Grin
[4:48] 9. Breakfast With Steve
[8:27] 10. 2400 Hours

Recorded in July 2008 and launched with a Finnish-Estonian tour in February 2009, this half live, half studio album teams Estonian vocalist Alar Kriisa, guitarist Andres Roots and bassist Peeter Piik with British harpist Steve Lury, mixing post-war Chicago and pre-war Delta blues influences in a way the Blues-Finland.com critic Auvo Laaksonen describes as "a real bullseye in the global world of music."

"More often than not, Bullfrog Brown is associated with the alt.blues scene, but unless you define alt.blues by a distinct lack of 15-minute guitar solos, it is unlikely for this CD to be filed under that category. Almost every time I've talked to Steve, we've ended up discussing Muddy Waters, & I think that kinda says it..." (excerpt from the liner notes)

With Steve Lury mc
With Steve Lury zippy

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