Track Listing

1. On The Verge Of Sanity
2. Sunrise
3. Afternoon Conversation
4. Never Know
5. Roulette
6. Dark Poet
7. Harmony
8. Ungodly Slob
9. Year Of The Knife
10. Without You
11. Same Old Song

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #50760 in Music
• Released on: 2007-05-21
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .23 pounds

Customer Reviews

please sir, can I have some more?
I came across Beardfish quite by accident, which is sometimes the best way - then you're not disappointed if you check a band out that someone has recommended and they fall short of expectations. Anyway, I seem to be doing exactly that now, don't I?.So, I won't "recommend" them, but I do suggest that you try and get a listen to them. I won't go through the album track by track as I'm still digesting it, but for those of you who like prog without the musical histrionics that sometimes accompanies it, or the over-produced ,clinical, could-be-played-by-computer sort of thing, then this could be for you. The musicianship is top quality (mainly two guitars,bass and drums with additional keyboards and accordion), the arrangements are thoughtful and interesting(changes in tempo and time signature without trying to fry your brain and turn you into a gibbering wreck), and if a song can be performed in a couple of minutes, it is - no unnecessary drawn out solos. The singer's voice doesn't grate, the lyrics are easy enough to follow, even if the grammar goes a bit funny now and again (they're not English, you see), and there is clearly a sense of humour there. There are two instrumentals which avoid going over the top, like some do. Oh, and there is definitely a nod in the direction of the great Gentle Giant (I notice that Giant's guitarist Gary Green is "thanked", as is Roine Stolt of the Flower Kings). I think they're really good and I'd like to see them live.'Nuff said.

Beards aplenty!
First there was Spock's Beard. Now there's Beardfish. Anyone expecting a mixture of the aformentioned Spock's and Fish, will be disappointed for Beardfish have as unique a sound as a prog rock band can have. That in itself can be difficult as with most contemporary prog rock bands, the music comes first and the lyrics (and unfortunately on occasions the vocals) suffer as a result.

But don't get me wrong - this is a strong album. It stands above the plethora of mediocrity the prog rock genre seems to churn out with increasing regularity these days and throws some rather cute touches of genius in the arrangements from time to time. Stand out moments for me include the bluesy guts of 'Harmony', harkening back to Heep and Zep and the World / Folk feel opening of the 7 minutes instrumental epic 'The Ungodly Slob', which actually belies the title by changing direction more times than a mouse on acid. Not that I've ever seen a mouse on acid of course - that's just my imagination running riot, which this great music has a tendency to encourage.

And of course, there's the albums centrepiece, the 12 minute 'Roulette', which starts off like a track from an album by 'The Feeling', a real Supertramp feel before very quickly stamping out any similarities with major synth wizardry and chaos. Then later on towards the end, organ workouts in parts sound similar in feel to Jon Hiseman's original Colosseum line-up. That opening theme does arrive back on the scene later in the track though and as a result, gives this prog epic a surprisingly commercial edge. Great stuff!

Sweden...Its the place to be if u like Prog
There must be something in the water over in sweden at the momment. This is another fine progressive offering keeping up the standards set by contemparies such as Carptree, Ritual, Black Bonzo and the truly magnificent Anekdoten (there are probably more examples). Beardfish' music is quite eclectic in its style with some rather nice Gentle Giant type touches and many other nods to the golden era of prog. Lots of originality and some exellent musicianship make this 5 stars for me. Im thinking of moving there!