BEARDFISH: Sleeping in traffic Part One

Choice Of The Month May 2007
Cover	Release	Style
	2007-05-21	Progressive Rock
	Label
	www.insideout.de, www.spv.de
	Website
	http://www.beardfish.argh.se/
	Contact
	-
	Playing Time	Cat. N°
	65:53	SPV 79492 IOMCD 277
	Review by	Rating
	Claude	9/10
nederlands	Review
Music from Scandinavia in the seventies was always related with Abba, progressive rock from those countries was not available or at least not known. In the meantime the North European countries, especially Sweden and Norway, have become the Mekka of progressive rock and progmetal. And apparently they want to fill a gap, because a lot of recent bands have been inspired by bands of the seventies. This is certainly the case of Swedish Beardfish, who has released two albums on an independent label, but now they have been taken in by Inside Out. This could be their final break-through, this ‘Sleeping in Traffic’ is there to prove it. After a short folky intro on accordion it becomes obvious where this band stands for: progressive rock with a lot of winks to other musical styles (for instance hard rock of the seventies), much vintage hammond and other keyboards, an excellent singer (multi instrumentalist and founder Rikard Sjöblom ) and tight interplay between all musicians. After the beatlesque and quiet ‘Afternoon Conversation’ they deliver a strange mix between ‘crimson art rock’ and alternative rock, the guitar solo has really a nostalgic feeling. But the ‘pièce de résistance’ of the album is without any doubt the epic ‘Roulette’, where also the link to Gentle Giant becomes clear. The interplay between guitar, vocals and keyboards reminds me of bands like Kayak in their beginning years. They are not afraid to integrate some folky elements, like for instance at the end of the song. But there is a remarkable influence of Patto in the epic and even more in ‘Harmony’, catching blues supported by hammond and guitar, a beautiful sound that I have not heard in years. And add the magnificent progressive instrumental masterpiece ‘The ungodly Slob’, the Yes like ‘Year of the Knife’ or the last track, building up from a quiet and jazzy intermezzo to a real climax (reminding me of the white album of The Beatles). Purely by coincidence I have reviewed this week the latest album of Magic Pie, they are using exactly the same concept, influences of classic progressive rock, interweaved in strong compositions. The guys of Beardfish are very talented and a nice musical future is waiting for them. Recommended!
Musicians
Rikard Sjöblom : vocals, guitars, keyboards, accordion, percussion David Zackrisson : guitars, percussion Robert Hansen : bass Magnus Östgren : drums, percussion, screaming
Tracklist
1. On The Verge Of Sanity ... (0:47) 2. Sunrise (7:54) 3. Afternoon Conversation (3:42) 4. And Never Know (5:59) 5. Roulette (12:07) 6. Dark Poet (3:24) 7. Harmony (7:20) 8. The Ungodly Slob (6:42) 9. Year Of The Knife (7:28) 10. Without You (2:39) 11. Same Old Song (7:51)
Discography
Från En Plats Du Ej Kan Se (2003) The Sane Day (2006) Sleeping in Traffic Part One (2007)


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