Although EZRA is still young enough to have the adjective “new” put in front of its name, Froggy’s Demise is the the third album released from this prolific ensemble in the last 15 months, closely following their debut album EZRA (March 2024) and Earth to EZRA (September 2024). The full album releases on May 9, 2025, with the first single, McLaughlin dropping on April 2.

EZRA clearly has a lot to say, and they’re getting better at how they say it. Froggy’s Demise may be their best work yet. They have developed a language and a rhythm as a band, and with each album, they are more and more comfortable challenging each other musically. They also just continue to have a really good time together.

With Froggy’s Demise, the core quartet — composer and multi-instrumentalist Jesse Jones (guitars), Jacob Jolliff (mandolin), Max Allard (banjo) and Craig Butterfield (double bass) — presents ten widely varied compositions in the manner of contemporary chamber music, but each with heavy doses of jazz- and roots-based improvisation. Get ready for some spiky synchronized jabs, some supersonic triplets, some asymmetrical metric turns, some loping rhythms, some poignant sensitivity, and some real-nerdy harmonic shifts, all grounded by a playful, folky tunefulness.

Jacob Jolliff: mandolin
Max Allard: 5-string banjo
Jesse Jones: guitars, banjo (track 9)
Craig Butterfield: double bass

Recorded at: Kaplow Recording Studio, Columbia SC
Engineered by: Cory Plaugh
Mixed by: David Sinko
Mastered by: Jeff Francis

Adhyâropa Records 2025