Blind Frog Ernie - Ver:5.1 By Arse-Nick Photographs by Sarah Edwards

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Adorned with a picture of a blind frog, that looks a lot like a mushroom, Ver 5.1, the new release from Blind Frog Ernie is out for public consumption this week. Featuring a new drummer, in their ever evolving fifth reincarnation, The Frog have gone and done themselves proud with this recording.

In fact, if I'd gone and recorded 5.1, I would have done my self repeatedly, with a large grin on my face, whenever I happened to hear it played back.

Track one, Last Temptation, is what I falteringly describe as a gentle waltz ballad, played by four violent rock enthusiasts. With plunging guitars, and a drum line that really insists that you can thrash in waltz timing, this song slaps you around a bit, then makes you want to go out and nearly get into a fight with someone whilst humming the chorus.

Featuring a vocal line that would not look out of place in the war of the worlds album, this song gets you thinking that the only thing that could improve it would be a voice over from Richard Burton. By the end of it all you find yourself going yeah, I have no idea what he's going on about at all but it might have something to do with Martians. Now, will someone fight me whilst this song is playing?

Track two, by far the best of the three on 5.1. Jesus, what an awful lot of numbers. Anyway, Track 2 - Hero In Me - is an absolute blinder. You know that moment where occasionally it all just goes right? Well, this song was recorded whilst that was going on. It is a truly magnificent track that would not look out of place on the album of any musical thoroughbred. It really is that good, seriously.

It starts out with some bizarre blues riff that makes you think that Eddie Cochran is about to come in and piss you off. Then all of a sudden it mutates into a gut wrenching Tool-esque atmospheric overload, where you think the re-incarnation of Ian Curtis on Prozac has come to lend a hand in the vocal department. After that it just gets better and better to a point where, you find yourself singing along with the pre-chorus, let alone the chorus. And as for the guitar solo; Jesus.

Continued ...next page

Photographs courtsey and Copyright ©  Sarah Edwards 2005

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