bromlr

on my daily music search i came across this band, froggie beaver. this time, the task of digging out some information wasn’t hard at all.

background info (from answers.com):

froggie beaver launched its career in rock & roll-desolate nebraska in the late 1960’s. the band members - lead vocalist John Troia, keyboardist Ed Staszko, drummer Tom Jackson, and guitarist John Fischer - met in junior high school in Omaha, Nebraska. From the start they composed original songs and developed a style in which Staszko simultaneously played organ and key bass much like Ray Manzarek of the Doors. By 1971, however, the band had acquired more debts than profits because, despite having built a small, devoted following, their resolution not to play top 40 songs resulted in not landing the most important gigs and parties in the region. So in the autumn of that year, the band, tired of being broke, decided to become a commercial cover band. They christened themselves Froggie Beaver, rehearsed in Staszko’s basement, and almost immediately earned the position as house band at a club in Council Bluffs, Iowa.
Within three months, the club owner was forced to move into a bigger building to accomodate the crowds Froggie Beaver was drawing each night. With its newfound success, the band began again incorporating original songs into its set, and the audience instantly took to the music. All the members quit their respective universities and day jobs, rented a house together, and took their stab at being a professional band. They hired a manager and toured throughout the Midwest, opening for national bands and occasionally headlining their own concerts.
Jackson left the band in early 1973 and was replaced by Rick Brown. In July of that year, Froggie Beaver recorded their sole album, From the Pond, produced by David Sandler, who had worked previously with Brian Wilson. The band toured behind the album, even adding Steve Beedle as a second guitarist, but by autumn of 1974, Froggie Beaver disbanded.
~ Stanton Swihart, All Music Guide

like many have probably mentioned before, the emerson lake & palmer references are quite obvious here, but still ‘from the pond’ isn’t so much a prog album as it is a rock’n’roll album. most of the tracks never pass the magic 5 minute time limit except two; ‘away from home’ and the end track ‘janine in somewhere land’. there are some really magnificent tracks on this album, with eerie melodies and strong vocals, proggy tempo variations and rhytmic shifts that make you wander off into mysterious places. i recommend that you check it out. it’s a pleasant ride.

froggie beaver - buy back my life