Frob – Frob (1976)

Frob is the sole album by German instrumental four-piece Frob, released in 1976. Coursing throughout this release are the searing scales of guitarist Philippe Caillat and the machine-gun fills of drummer Peter Meuffels.

“Flash” kicks off with a four-note bass gallop in D that is swiftly joined by snare-hyper drums, icy organ keys and the sizzling leads of Caillat, whose ascending hammer-on’s serve as the title-sake earworm.

The snare-bash that signals “Hektik” is tackled by a tritone-scaling fretboard motif that corrupts the key of F#. Schmits’ lean, primitive organ layers percolate over the rhythmically bombarded bridge. Richter tentatively climbs the scale, only to slide back down against the 12/4 pattern that carries out the soloists from 1:30 onward.

Further highlights include the scaly, organ-shimmering “Locomotive” and the bass-darting hi-hat groove of “Spaces.” Musically, the album is comparable to Coses Nostres by Iceberg, Strange New Flesh by Colosseum II, and the two albums by Dutch quartet Scope.

Tracklist:
A1. Wassertropfen
A2. Spaces
A3. Calypso
A4. Spheres
B1. Flash
B2. Locomotive
B3. Hektik
B4. La Sieste

Credits:
Philippe Caillat – guitar
Peter Meuffels – drums
Peter Schmits – keyboards
K.-D. Richter – bass