TARDIGRADE

A pretty long lasting record, but in this case, it wasn't too long. Tardigrade is the Swedish band's third and most recent record. It was released five years ago. I don't know if the band exists anymore but hope they'll come back with another record soon. This was an honest and interesting form of music. Perhaps they aren't very unique but they still act honest and sophisticated every minute of this record. It's not impossible I will raise it further, right now I just say you this is an excillent addition to any prog rock collection. It's uncommon to hold a prog rock record for a masterpiece after the first listening. Prog creves time and relistening. Here we got Daniel Fäldt on vocals, Magnus Paulsson on keyboards, Jonas Hallberg on guitar and percussion, Matti Jarlhed on drums and percussion and Stefan Renström on bass, keyboards and vocoder.

This album contains ten tracks, all of them are good, some of them are really good. The almost 15 minutes long starter "Suddenly the rain" is marvelous, it reminds me of a (Gabriel)Genesis song, now I can't remember which, and that feels awesome. It is not theft, just inspiration I guess. It starts exuberant and vital and the vocals are great. "Tardigrade" is a little poppier but very dymanic piece. "The chosen one" is calmer with pretty guitar work and it becomes faster later on. A great track. "Moon mountain" shows us guitar collaboration between the acoustic and the electric guitars, very nice result. "As the river runs" continues this symphonic excesses with excellent piano play as an example. "Your future" is a tranquil futuristic prayer and "Strawberry jam" shows how a progressive rock band interprets the concept "jam". In "Circle's End" I think the singer takes his task to another level when it becomes so varying. The last piece is short "Beautiful new day" praise the new day and hopes you will listen to this record again. The largest composition on this record is perhaps overwhelming the first time I listen to it. "Brother where' you bound?" begins directly, just like Genesis' "Supper's ready"(no other comparisons) and takes us on a symphonic journey. This is calm sometimes and fast sometimes. It feels right in many ways but I think it needs relistening.

This could have been even better if they tried more new things. Perhaps this is a tribute to for exemple Genesis and then it's a very good one, much better than some form of cover record. Simon Says shows us great symphonic music and also honest music, but they could have taken it to another record with some strange instruments and vocals in their native language(English is trite). But I will listen to this again, I promise and maybe I'll raise it to five stars. Right now I am proud to give it four.