Montreal’s Bullfrog Ready to Groove the ’Sco
by John MacDonald

A bullfrog, as defined by The American Heritage Dictionary, is “any of several large, heavy-bodied frogs... native to North America and having a characteristic deep resonant croak,” and though this Bullfrog doesn’t live in a swamp, it is coming to roost at the ’Sco with that same earth-shattering “croak” next Tuesday. Breaking things down at 10 p.m. on Feb. 26, this Montreal-based sextet have been perfecting their party-ready combination of funk, hip-hop, soul and rock for seven years, touring clubs throughout the U.S. and Canada since their formation in 1994.
Bullfrog features Mark Robertson on guitar and vocals, James “Blurum 13” Sobers as MC, Peter Santiago on bass, Massimo Sansalone on drums and Joanna Peters on percussion and vocals. This already superb multi-racial cast is assisted by master turntablist, Eric San, better known as the Kid Koala, who helped produce the distinctive sounds of Gorillaz and Deltron 3030. Koala has been playing with Bullfrog, as well as working on his various solo projects, throughout their performing career. Though recording his own Carpal Tunnel Syndrome on Ropeadope Records in 2000, he also lent his talents to Bullfrog’s first full-length album, appropriately titled A Little Ropeadope Disc, recorded only last year on that same label.
Though fans had to wait a full six years for a complete record, Bullfrog’s successful foray into the studio was supported by more than 1,000 live dates on both sides of the border. The 50 plus minutes of music on the disc comprises the entire spectrum of the Bullfrog experience: Blurum 13’s rhyming, Robertson’s guitar-based instrumentals, Kid Koala’s sound collages, even live tracks — and all with that free-flowing funky soul that would make everyone from George Clinton to Trey Anastasio proud.
“Slow Down” is smooth and sultry soul all dressed up in spandex and leather with Robertson’s falsetto and jive guitar and Peters’ honey-drip backing vocals gliding effortlessly over the rhythm section’s tight groove. You can almost smell the cheeba wafting its way out of your stereo speakers. At the other end of the spectrum, “Snakeskin” is a wonderfully irreverent sound piece by Kid Koala that exposes the evils of the record industry. And on the aptly titled “Reverse Psychology,” MC Blurum 13 proclaims to the listener, with all the sarcasm he can muster, that “this is not a party song. I don’t wanna see anybody smiling. I don’t wanna see anybody nodding their heads.” But the closing track, “Mark After Dark,” is a true gem. As mellow as a post-coital cigarette, Bullfrog builds their enthralling atmospherics around Robertson’s guitar with everything from bongo drums to Kid Koala’s ambient scratches. Though not nearly as upbeat as the rest of the album, the reverie of this track sets it apart from the rest and its short length just leaves you craving more.
The show, organized by sophomore Rebecca DeCola and Assistant Director of the Student Union, Chris Baymiller, is sure to get folks smiling and jumping, despite the beers in their hands, at the ’Sco next week. Considering how experienced Bullfrog is at performing live and how vital those performances are to their music, one can’t expect anything less then a crowd-pleaser. Or as DeCola herself puts it, “[Bullfrog and Kid Koala are] gonna pack some heat!”
So for all of you cursing Oberlin’s frigid February weather, take some advice from her, and brave the wind, rain and snow to make it out to the ’Sco Tuesday night. You’ll leave with a warm and fuzzy feeling all over.