+4626 - COMFORTZONE

I've been a Beardfish fanboy since I've meet them on 2007. Through all this time the communion and understanding of the records and styles have been a happy relationship of great magical records (some more than others). But this one is just O.K.

Don't misunderstand me, is an actual really good job, conceptually is even better than the later 'The Void'; is just that there's a lack of magic. The sound is more young-adult oriented, which made the cohesion a little bit harder to receive.

True, there are wonderful moments since the very beginning with a symphonic introduction of the album concept, followed by a brighter and Yes-esque 'Hold On' ―even the name―. The main piece has too many non-prog elements; the voice has at times a softer tune, still, surprisingly, works very nice, balancing modern colors with the actual progressive harmony all over the road. 'Can You See Me Now?' along with 'King' are the real slackers here. The first one is pretty slow and plain while the later, if a little more vibrant is still plain.

Then the second part, sort-of-interlude, of 'The One Inside' revives atmosphere with a magnificent acoustic guitar in an almost mid-west folk style, working as a continuity as a separation among sections. Remaining onto the harsh mood, there is nice blend in 'Daughter/Whore' some kind a filler, but a good filler after all.

Epicness have to be named 'If We Must Be Apart (A Love Story Continued)' and here is what elevates the whole album; a strong, melodic, haunting, complex piece, historically related to their second record and their magical opening song in this. There are moods variations and an introspective tune atmosphere running through the entire song. Here again got also a mix of influences, past and present (maybe future) whisked together, and among those influence are themselves for once, even though the 'first part' of Love Story is not musically related ―in this area their connection is more related to Sleeping in the Traffic― we find that the story is, and the line of the characters in such story going a little while after the remaining point into their own consequential struggles. The climatic conclusion is much more calm and conclusive than the chaotic predecessor as in a self-indulgent closure.

'Ode to the Rock'n Roller' is another not-so-fit song. Again, don't misunderstand me, it is pretty good, melancholic, vibrant, jolly song and actually every piece works pretty good apart, is the blending what doesn't feel entirely right, that's a big problem when you talk about concept album. The track is here, its sounds fantastically, feels good and everything but somehow doesn't work entirely. The closer track, third part of 'The One Inside', announces a farewell in a dramatic yet charismatic tune, a clear bound among listeners through the album and the band. We gratefully has reached the end of the trip and not everything has been great, as most journeys come to be, but in the end the lot became a really nice experience you could repeat any other time.

Still not the best work of the band, is a merry reminder that thy comfort zone is not necessarily a bad thing, in fact could be a really good thing.

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