Bullfrog - Bullfrog

YOURZ

Canadian band, Bullfrog, are one of those treasures rarely and often accidentally discovered by collectors such as myself.  I can't remember exactly where I got it, but listening back to it for this review, I'm surprised it hasn't been played lots more as it really is a great record of funk, off-kilter pop, jazz and hip hop and is ostensibly a live recording. 

Mine and YourZ (truly) have been watching a great new HBO series called Treme, which is about the lives of various New Orleans inhabitants immediately after Cyclone Katrina.  Of course, the biggest star of the show is the music, that of the Orleans funk and more traditional jazz and cajun blues.  Bullfrog sound like they could be one of the house bands for any of the venues featured in the show, such is the richness of texture and sheer talent of this band.

For this reason, among many, this is another Forgotten Gem

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

MINE

...and here we have the split between us, once again.  I hadn't really listened to Bullfrog before, even though it's been played a bit in our house, because it's generally been background to parties or just to living.  So I was surprised when I didn't really like it.

There are two reasons for this.  First is because they're another band who feel they have to mention their name in just about every song.  I mean, what?  Don't you think I can read the CD cover?  Do I have short-term memory loss?  What was the question again?

And secondly, although they're a great band with some really catchy tunes - none of the songs seem to actually go anywhere.  There's a lot of noodling and clever stuff, but largely it lacks structure.  It had the editor in me reaching for the red pen, so I could cross out this bit and that bit and move this one around there and then how about we tighten up here and...

Nice background music, but for a close-up listen, a tad self-indulgent. 

VERDICT: TURN IT DOWN

For more information: http://www.gobullfrog.com/

Buck 65 - Talkin' Honky Blues

YOURZ

Buck 65 (real name Richard Terfry) is a Canadian MC/DJ known for his both his lyrical and musical articulateness.  His samples are often obscure and characterise his production, as do his beat poetry-like lyrics.  Experimental and unforgiving, Buck 65 follows similar roads to artists such as Tom Waits. 

Talkin' Honky Blues, winner of a Juno Award for Best Alternative Album in 2004, came to me via the song Wicked & Weird, which was all over local alternative radio when it first came out.  Unusually, the samples Buck 65 has used are blues (hence the title - a reference to a blues style called Talkin' Blues).  I tried to find his sources but failed miserably (the small print on the CD sleeve proved impossible to read - why do they do that?)

There are some absolutely brilliant tracks on Talkin' Honky Blues, but, like a lot of what Mr Waits does, this is not for the casual listener.  It's not the sort of hip hop you will hear blaring out of overly-loud car speakers nor is it likely to be filling the dance floor at a local RnB club.  This demands attention and, to those who pay it what it deserves, they will be well rewarded.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

MINE

I think he thinks I wouldn't like it.  (YourZ sez: yep, I really did but in this case, I'm glad I'm wrong)  But I did.  As YourZ says, it's not for the casual listener, and as such, I'm not going to be putting any Buck65 songs on my gymPod any time soon.  But damn, the guy's intelligent!  This is what I think more hip-hop and rap artists ought to be doing.   I mean, where else are you going to find someone talking about the real emotions he felt when he cheated on his girlfriend?  More often they're boasting about how many hos they've had or how many baby mamas they're paying for.

Maybe it's because he's Canadian....

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

For more information: http://buck65.com/

In our collection we also have Situation