FROGG CAFÉ - FORTUNATE OBSERVER OF TIME

FROGG CAFÉ - FORTUNATE OBSERVER OF TIME

Disk 1 . . . . . . .61:37
1. Eternal Optimist . . . . . . 6:31
2. Fortunate Observer of Time . . . . 7:04
3. Reluctant Observer . . . . . . 9:27
4. No Regrets . . . . . . 8:13
5. Resign . . . . . . 1:05
6. You're Still Sleeping . . . . . . 10:43
7. Abyss of Dissension . . . . . . 14:38
8. Release . . . . . . 3:56

Frogg Café's official website at:
http://www.froggcafe.com

Line-up
- Bill Ayasse:
electric & acoustic violins, vocals, mandolin, percussion
- Steve Uh:
electric and acoustic guitar, keyboards, violin
- Nick Lieto:
lead vocals, keyboards, piano, trumpet, flugelhorn
- Andrew Sussman:
electric bass, cello, vocals
- James Guarnieri:
drums, percussion

format: Single CD • ProgRock Records # PRR136
release date: June 17 2005

Frogg Café's third studio album is a brilliant CD! What an incredible piece of work... and what an incredible evolution for the band! One of those albums that is so thoroughly enjoyable that you'll have a hard time taking out of the CD player. Fortunate Observer of Time has some of the most amazing melodies, highly hummable tunes that will stick in your brain like chewing gum in your hair! This album breaks the boundaries between progressive rock and jazz fusion with a vast variety of influences and styles, though highly cohesive and very accessible. Frogg café started as a Frank Zappa tribute band in the Long Island area, and at the beginning of the new millenium, eventually turned to their own compositions, inspired in their own words, by Tull's Ian Anderson, Zappa of course, Phish, King Crimson, early eras of Yes and Genesis, Stravinsky, Ravel, Mingus, Coltrane, Ives, and Copland. Their style can be described as a brilliant mixture of prog rock, jazz fusion and modern chamber music. Andrew Sussman composed one of the more challenging, intricates tracks of this CD, the incredible Abyss of Dissension, where Steven Uh shines, offering us a simply brilliant, inspired, warm guitar solo, splendid multiphase vocals à la Gentle Giant, also a special contribution by Frank Zappa's percussionist, Ed Mann on this track. Bill Ayasse on violins instills a majestic, grandiose sound to this CD. James Guarnieri's jazz drumer roots are well represented on this CD, as well as the highly intricate prog rhythms he plays with so much ease. Nick Lieto's contribution on vocals, trumpet, keys and in the composition of many of the tracks, is simply immense. What a true multi-talented musician! The brilliant piece You're Still Sleeping, builds up to a grandiose crescendo, only to be broken in half by a New Orleans-style circus parade on fluegelhorn by Nick, great hook on that tune, you just can't get it out of your head!

The musicianship of this album is simply unrivaled, imagine having 5 immensely talented music scholars/perfectionists in one studio, must have been long recording sessions! Production quality is very good, and the final mix was handled by Bill Ayasse. It's one of the sleepers of the year, and one of my top 5 CDs of 2005. I highly recommend this CD for the hardcore Frogg fan as well as any prog fan not familiar with their music... it's simply that good!

My rating for Fortunate Observer of Time : 8.9/10(album reviewed by Robert Dansereau)