BEARDFISH

Beardfish formed in 2001, dissolved in 2016 after two fabulous albums and dissensions in the group.

'Ecotone' acoustic guitar strummed, Rikard defeatist voice starting this new opus; a singular air, on a romantic- melancholic ballad with syrupy female choirs at the end. 'Out in the Open' in 5 parts, baroque intro with fast keyboards, vintage with the fat sound of the 70s led by a master pad by Magnus; Oblivion follows with a fruity and jerky sound, the imprint of Gentle Giant and the crimson king in front; the piano in rain notes gives way to the keyboard of yesteryear. We feel the crescendo getting going, the fleshy and charming guitar, the shouted choirs, the rise is emerging. Fat organ for the sound reminiscent of the psyche of Motorpsycho, there is energetic vintage that makes the ears revise. Hopes and Dreams acts as an interlude with this Howian guitar and the Genesisian air of the beginning; the voice arrives suddenly taking up the song, the ambient synth, airy, the calm air that makes you believe in another piece. The keyboard suddenly wants to be electronic returning to the base, chopped singing like Zappa and jazzy variation. The instrumental, energetic, jerky variation of the beginning, returns; the explosive keyboard starting on a sound that Focus would not deny. Fat guitar solo from ancient times that makes the back of the neck shiver, a good point; the finale on the same plot with the four musicians united launching the solemn, soft and captivating orchestration. Yes, Pink Floyd with a roaring and haunting keyboard like Glass becoming majestic as a dreamlike finale.

'Beating Hearts' begins a string quartet bringing the proven Crimsonian air based on sax; languid, Genesis-like guitar arpeggio, the reminiscences explode as you listen. The break arrives, I quote King Crimson, Pink Floyd then Gentle Giant and Focus again with the heavy riff and the shouted vocal. Back to the electric guitar of the 60s, maddening the ear before finding the famous final pastoral quartet. 'In the Autumn' single played at the beginning of the year with friend Amanda for the folk love song; fluid guitar base, vocal duet and fresh air without any hassle. The nervous finale ensures that we are indeed in 2024 despite the old sounds. 'Ecotone (reprise)' everything is said in the title, piano interlude with Dolby breath like in the good old days. 'Torrential Downpour' moving and hypnotic crescendic title; the catchy title almost heavy on the loss of his father and a cry of musical love that swells with a heady backbeat. Two minutes before the end the musical explosion with the orchestration provided like a musical torrent. 'Ecotone - Norrsken 1982' as a bonus, there was a choice for a double album at the start; the finale in electro synth with the original tune, or how the sound can evolve within a group: for admirers of Vangelis, Space. Originally on Progcensor.

The latest release by Beardfish entitled "Songs For Beating Hearts" is definitely worth paying attention to for at least three reasons presented below - two historical and personal and one musical: 1. It was rather unthinkable that the band would release a new album since its leader, Rikard Sjöblom, had just returned from a tour with Big Big Train and the band's double-disc live album "A Flare On The Lens (Live In London)" had almost just been released. 2. In fact, since 2015, when Beardfish's last work ("+4626 ? Comfortzone") was released, the band has not been active at all. A nine-year break. 3. This album is an even stronger "rooting" in the music of the seventies, with more slightly hard rock colors and psychedelic-hippie colors mixed with the rock music of those years.

But before we talk about the new album, first a personal thread. Ever since the album "Sleeping In Traffic - Part Two" released in 2008 featured a thirty-five-minute-long song called "Sleeping In Traffic" (sic!) in my private calendar-notebook, I've had a note: "put it on the shelf with records to play often and observe...". And there was something to observe, because on each of the next albums Beardfish placed at least one song lasting over fifteen minutes. Please check it out. The latest release also meets this "norm", if you can say so. In one of the interviews Sjöblom said: "(...) I think the idea of resuming the band's activity appeared in 2021... We started talking about doing something. People made up and I think everyone started to miss being together in the band...".

In 2024, Beardfish got together to play at Gefle Skivmässain in their hometown of Gävle in May. At the same time, the musicians began composing, playing and recording, which resulted in the creation of the album "Songs For Beating Hearts", which was officially released on November 1. It begins with a delicate, guitar ballad about drifting on a river and, although the words "(...) I can hear songs for beating hearts ..." appear here, sounding like the title of the whole thing, an attentive listener will certainly notice the overture role of this song. Interestingly, this song appears on the album three times and in different time sizes - the first track "Ecotone" (4 minutes), the ninth track "Ecotone (Reprise)" (only forty seconds) and as a bonus - "Ecotone - Norrsken 1982 (six minutes). With its structure, "Ecotone" immediately shows what will happen next in the music, because it is, after all, a proverbial 'appetizer' before the main course, the five-part piece "Out In The Open".

"(...) "I'm glad we managed to record a 20-minute song. It was one of the first songs we started composing and practicing when we started over. We had to keep that reunion alive! The song is divided into parts. When I started writing it, it was basically about missing the other guys. It's almost an ode to Magnus, David and Robert, although it's not directly expressed in the lyrics, but it's a really special composition. (...) We grew up together all these years and a part of you disappears when the band ends," Sjöblom said.

Indeed, divided into five separate parts, Out In The Open is really one long piece. The overture ("Out In The Open, Pt. 1 ? Overture") begins with a fast, agile and sonically building motif played in unison by keyboard (Sjöblom), guitar (David Zackrisson) and bass (Robert Hansen) with drummer Magnus Östgren skillfully keeping the rhythm steady. "Who knows where the river of time wants to take us on our journeys through life?" sings Sjöblom. Although perhaps the word 'sings' doesn't quite fit the chanted lyrics that also set the stage for the main body of the 20-minute piece.

"Out In The Open, Pt. 2 ? Oblivion" ? the main theme of the second part of the suite are the words already quoted above: "(?) "Who knows where the river of time wants to take us on our journeys through life". It is a lyrical story about transience, weaving into the sung content the motif of past mistakes and the repetitive nature of these mistakes ? "(?) I will be there once we come around / Out of orbit, touching ground / There's nothing left to be said / That we don't already know / Come now, let us leave this place / Oblivion". Please listen to the end of the overture and the beginning of the "Oblivion" part ? both parts mesh with each other, smoothly flowing into each other, which unites them even more strongly into a single, coherent piece, although the musical rhythm of this part is determined by the striding bass and guitar. It might seem that this is a modest arrangement, even poor, and? it is true until the organ comes to the fore. First throwing in single chords, and then taking over the entire melodic line. And from the second minute, this part of the suite reaches its musical peak, which, like a magic carpet, transports us to the seventies. And the vocals? Well, please listen more carefully to the last two minutes. Don't they remind you of the musical "Hair" or "Jesus Christ Superstar"...?

Please do not expect the third part of the suite ("Out In The Open, Pt. 3 - Hopes and Dreams") to bring about any drastic changes. Only the liveliness of the arrangement changes. After the musical ending, we hear the sounds of an acoustic guitar set against the background of the keyboard again. This is a very long, almost one and a half minute long, calming down musically referring to the climate of the first part. Even vocally, this part is similar to the first one. At the same time, this part sort of prepares the listener for the next, fourth part of the composition.

And the fourth part ? "Out In The Open, Pt. 4 - Oblivion (Reprise)" refers to the second part with its very title. "(?) So now we have travelled once more around the bend and I think that our journey has no beginning, it has no end" ? we lyrically return to the motif of old mistakes and the passing of time. But the tone of this part is a bit more optimistic ? after all, it is a "reprise" part ("cutting off" from what was; "separating" what is past from what is now). If in the previous part the bass and guitar played the dominant role, here the organs show their, one might say, almost complete immersion in the music of the seventies. The second minute of this part is a real, very lively organ improvisation, which is "calmed down" by the vocals so typical of the same period, extending this subdued musical cooperation to the very end.

The last three minutes of the suite are its fifth part, "Out in the Open, Pt. 5 - Around The Bend", which intertwines the playing of all the musicians into one instrumental piece shimmering with different musical styles and colors. In its musical expression, it is an atmospheric, full of gentle organ passages 'a piece for going out'. There are no words, but the calm music speaks for itself - it is a fragment talking about reconciliation, about a new beginning of cooperation. In fact, one could be tempted to say that this piece could be treated in two ways: as a completely separate composition, one that is finished, played to the end, or as the central part of the album (the proverbial 'axis'), which is complemented and developed by the remaining songs.

I recommend to your attention an eleven-minute composition entitled "Beating Hearts". Why? If only because it begins with a thirty-second 'etude' of intertwining strings, which suddenly explodes with a dissonant guitar and keyboard instruments reminiscent of King Crimson. This musical explosion passes after another minute, giving room for the fast playing of the acoustic guitar, to finally somehow stabilize the rhythmically appearing sounds. Against the background of the guitar, the vocalist's voice appears - "(...) In memories passing like and old and flickering lights / I have no fear this time / Don't let them know I cried". The string section gives the whole thing a slightly lofty, classicizing glow, but at the same time makes it seem to have a lot in common with a simple folk ballad telling (similarly to previous compositions) about not so good things from the past. This sense of ballad calmness transforms about halfway into a reprise of? Led Zeppelin with a characteristic guitar and a voice taking on the 'manner' of Robert Plant. Can such a 'mix' of King Crimson and Led Zeppelin be appealing? And if we add to this that the piece ends similarly to how it begins ? with the string section once again performing an almost classical- sounding 'étude'??

The song "In The Autumn" also shows a Zeppelin inclination. The sound of the instruments, the timbre of the vocalist's voice... - you name it Led Zeppelin with one, albeit important, addition that slightly breaks this Zeppelin flavor: this song is a duet. Sjöblom is joined in the song by Amanda Örtenhag, and her tonally lower voice gives the whole thing a specific color. Another acceptable interpretation is to treat it (especially the second half of the song) as a song reminiscent of American AOR from the 70s.

"Ecotone (Reprise)" which comes right after "In the Autumn" is a forty-second instrumental interlude played on a discordant piano. The motif from the first composition of the same title appears here in an almost unrecognizable arrangement. Perhaps its purpose is to distance itself from the pieces already presented, because the next composition, "Torrential Downpour," no longer concerns the matters of past mistakes in the narrative layer.

"Torrential Downpour" is a story about the situation related to the death of Sjöblom's father: "(...) In 2022 I lost my dad, who was suffering from cancer, and when this song was written, there was something that I couldn't quite define, but it seemed to me that it was some form of lament. When I later read the lyrics, I realized that it was about him, but also about family and our human heritage in general. It turned out that it is not only mourning a deceased person, but also a celebration of life." The whole song is a bit reminiscent, although it may sound strange, of Mark Knopfler's last solo albums - guitar, slightly blues-ballad playing with the addition (especially in the middle and final parts) of a slightly hard rock feistiness and guitar grind. And it is this hard rockness that characterizes this composition the most and allows it to avoid the 'tearfulness' that often accompanies ballad songs.

How does the last element of the "Ecotone" 'cycle' differ from the previous ones? Certainly in its duration. It is over six minutes of synthesizer-organ one-on-one with a motif known from previous versions. "Ecotone - Norrsken 1982", because that is the full title of this version, suggests that it was created in 1982. Hence, the presence of synthesizers and? automatic drums is probably not surprising. After all, the eighties were such neo- romantic times. However, the most intriguing and comforting thing is that this piece defends itself perfectly in its poor (despite everything) arrangement. After a long journey among the sounds of the seventies that the album offers, this synthpop insert is most acceptable. Maybe it is some remnant from the teenage years, maybe some pre- first composition, or maybe an announcement that the next album by Beardfish will be musically anchored in the eighties? Who knows?...

Maybe instead of a summary, I should write a warning? Maybe instead of an encouragement to listen to this musical proposal, I should write something discouraging? Why? On the one hand, to warn potential listeners that an essential aid in understanding this album is some form of musical love for the sounds of the seventies, for its hippie-psychedelic background. A positive attitude towards the work of hard rock bands of that time, with Led Zeppelin at the forefront, may also be helpful. On the other hand, it is not a progressive album in the modern sense of the word, nor is it a concept album, although the suite "Out In The Open" may well bring to mind such a term. This album is contemporary music played, which is the ancestor of progressive rock, a mixture of broadly understood psychedelia and hard rock, which mixture, in my opinion, led to the hatching of something we call prog rock today. And on the third hand..., it is an album that presents this mixture in an accessible way, which guarantees many wonderful musical experiences. Which I wish everyone while listening to this album.

Man it's been a hot minute since I reviewed a Beardfish album. How long has it been, 2 years? Quite a bit, huh? Anyhow, since they decided to miraculously come back after what we all thought was their finale of +4626- Comfortzone, They managed to wriggle back up 9 years later with the very orange, but very great Song for Beating Hearts.

After a 9 year exile, you'd think the band would lose its touch from its golden days of Sleeping in Traffic, or Destined Solitaire, but I find Songs for Beating Hearts to be an incredibly well made comeback record, probably one of the best of this year. They still carry that same quirky retro prog stylings that remind one of the 70s prog sound, but still with that modern kick that makes them sound as fresh as a ripe pear. In fact, I'd say they improved more, at least in direction with their music on here. While I do love it when they get all goofy and try some new stuff, an album this consistent, yet still with tracks that certainly do feel distinct from one another, is quite the blessing for me...

...As well as a curse. It can be quite a double edged sword, since while I do really love this constant symphonic prog style they provide on this album, I do admit I very much miss when they changed things up on occasion. I really do wish there was a track like Cashflow, or Turn to Gravel, or even Daughter / Whore on here, you know something that kinda detracts away from the constant beats of symphonic prog music. They kinda remedy this with Torrential Downpour, but even then I feel like it being the final track kinda doesn't do much for me, though I still really like that song.

I'll also say this album is weirdly stark of any comedy, heck even more than on Mammoth, but unlike Mammoth I think it does give a benefit to this album. It feels like the band really grew up, in a way, where instead of hiding melancholy under a visage of Zappa-like comedy, they really put their beating hearts on their sleeves, making a purebred, serious album. While the funniness of their previous albums will be missed, I am not discontent with them continuing this direction.

Oh yeah, this album also has a really amazing epic. In fact this album's track listing is just really good. Sure I kinda wish Torrential Downpour was more placed in the middle rather than at the end, but other than that this record has a pretty amazing number of scores to go through. From the grand 20 minute epic of Out in the Open, to the soft and folksy In The Autumn, to even the more neo-progesque bonus track of Ecotone - Norrsken 1982, this record does manage to just have some really good tracks, with really no bad stuff, aside from Ecotone (Reprise), but that's really only because it's basically 40 seconds so you aren't missing out on much.

Overall, while Songs for Beating Hearts may not be a true return to form for Beardfish, it does a lot of things right to make up for it in my opinion. Definitely a recommendation from me, especially if you had already been a fan of Beardfish for a while now. Out of every comeback album of this year, this is certainly one that's on top.

Best tracks: Ecotone, Out in the Open, In the Autumn

Worst track: Ecotone (Reprise)

This celebrated but previously disbanded Swedish prog band from the 2000's has now returned for their 1st album since 2015 (when keyboardist Rikard Sjoblom left to join Big Big Train), and with their original lineup back intact. And they return with a stellar new album that returns to some of their classic prog roots and adds in some more folky influences and a comfortable 70's feel. The centerpiece of the album is the extended 5-part Out in the Open (20 min), which goes through various changes and moods, delivering some emotional and heartfelt sections. My favorite song is the more acoustic and folky In the Autumn, with its rich melodic flow. Torrential Downpour is another highlight, featuring the most heavy and dramatic mood and vocals. For me, the ambitious title track, Beating Hearts is less successful, although the string quartet sound and arrangement is wonderful, the song is burdened with an unappealing melody. These plus the evocative Ecotone sequences all add up to a quite wonderful album overall, and the very welcome return of Beardfish. Best Tracks: In the Autumn, Out in the Open Parts 1-5, Torrential Downpour, Ecotone - Norrsken 1982. Rating: 4

God's gift to Big Big Train and Beardfish founder, Rikard Sjöblom, returns from his self-imposed exile upon British soil. In 2015 he abandoned his home country and Beardfish mates to join the British prog masters, immediately elevating them to one of the planet's finest crafters of traditional progressive rock. Something has prompted him to resuscitate his old band. Prog World should stand up and give him a standing ovation!

1. "Ecotone" (4:30) sounding a lot like a Guy Manning song, the calm, pastoral sound palette and musical arrangement over the first 90 seconds is unexpected, but then tensions start to mount with bass and female vocals (the latter courtesy Amanda Örtenhag) but the band stays the original course: continuing to propel this remarkably-Guy Manning-like song forward. There are several creative/interesting tangents along the way showing compositional maturity but ultimately this is nothing earth-shattering. (8.875/10) 2. "Out in the Open" (20:33) now this is the Beardfish we've come to know and expect: demanding instrumental performances of sophisticated time- and thematic-shifting When Rikard's singing joins the music, it reconfirms the fact that Rikard's less-than usually-processed voice has aged. Still, this is the kind of widely-dynamic, shape- and mood- shifting prog that Prog World needs and expects from one of its 21st Century leaders. Though I like and appreciate the more complex and angular sections of music, I'm surprised at how much I like the softer, more pastoral TFK-like passages (like in Part 3). The quality is top notch but the spirit (the conveyance of joy and enthusiasm) is a bit lacking-- as if parts are a bit forced (as if by expectations, outside and inside) or serving to check off certain boxes. Above all, however, it just feels good to have a band of such competent musicians and composers back offering true prog to the world. (36.5/40)

3. "Beating Hearts" (11:01) opening with a 38-second overture from a string quartet, the heavy rock version ensues thereafter, with heavily-distorted "old Rock" instruments on every wing. At 1:48 a turn in direction unveils an acoustic palette for the following vocal passage. Electric guitar is very present. In the fourth minute the string quartet rejoins in support of the current motif. Interesting! Manning and Nektar-ish at the same time. As other reviewers have pointed out, the changes in motifs on this song are quick and sometimes startling, never expected--they come so fast! And each motif seems quite stark in its difference from the previous one(s). Definitely an interesting epic. Bass player Robert Hansen is rock solid throughout while guitarist David Zackrisson has some real moments of incandescence. Heck! Rikard's emotional power vocals even shine! I do, however, like best the way in which the string quartet was/is woven into the mix, sometimes on their own, sometimes woven into the mix with all of the folk rock or heavy rock stuff. (17.75/20)

4. "In the Autumn" (5:58) a powerful song that has a distinctive Southern Rock feel to it (not unlike those of The ALLMAN BROTHERS and Jared Leach's GHOST DISCIPLINE) with an uber-talented Sarah Hoefer-sound-alike Amanda Örtenhag stepping up to the front in a commanding performance. Other than the vocal and guitar displays, this is not that great of a song. (8.75/10)

5. "Ecotone (Reprise)" (0:43) reverb-drenched keyboard interlude. What for? (4/5)

6. "Torrential Downpour" (8:29) more Southern Rock, this time a little heavier. The music is less sophisticated, less dense and intricate than the Beardfish music of old. While listening to this, I hear BON JOVI, IRON MAIDEN, YES, NEKTAR, and many others. (17.625/20)

7. "Ecotone - Norrsken 1982 Edition" (Bonus Track) (6:13) a re-mastered version of the original Ecotone from way back in 1982.

Total Time 57:27

Having listened to the album through and realized how the opening song was actually a remake of one of Rikard/the band's oldest songs (from 1982), I can well imagine that the making of this album was spattered with many such trips down memory lane.

B/four stars; an excellent album for any prog lover to try out. It's good to have Beardfish back in the arena.

Throughout the 2000s and early 2010s, Beardfish were one of the most notable bands to come out of the burgeoning Scandinavian prog scene. Their music was melodic and usually pretty fun. Quirky vignettes easily mixed with more contemplative pieces, and they always incorporated a wide variety of influences. Sleeping in Traffic: Part 2 is one of the best prog albums of the 2000s, and it highlights all their strengths. They disbanded in 2016, and vocalist Rikard Sjöblom set out on a solo career.

Nine years after their last album, the cumbersomely-titled and somewhat uneven +4626-Comfortzone, Beardfish have reunited and recorded a new album. For as diverse as their records could be, Beardfish has a recognizable sound, and they largely stick to it.

Songs for Beating Hearts opens with "Ecotone". Echoing guitar lends it an ominous air, but hope creeps in. Sjöblom's songwriting has always been good at balancing warmth and anxiety, and this folk-tinged cut is a solid opening to the record.

This opener leads directly into the 5-part, 20-minute "Out in the Open". Jumpy bass and piano start things off on an exciting foot. Squeaky synthesizers add some fun texture, and jazz touches are apparent, too. Sjöblum's voice has never been my favorite, and the opening verses of this suite are especially iffy. Thankfully, the vocal is paired alongside emotive and melodic instrumental passages. Things remain tense as plinking organ and watery guitar build a unique soundscape.

Moving into this opus's third part, things get pared back. Warm acoustic guitar, gentle and multilayered vocals, and cozy synth pads build a dreamy atmosphere. It can verge on being overly-sappy at moments, however. The band smoothly reincorporates prior musical ideas as the song builds up some pep and momentum. The conclusion features exhilarating organ lines and a sense of buoyancy, elevated by stuttering, oscillating synthesizers.

A string quartet kicks off "Beating Hearts" with a distinctive bit of chamber music. Abruptly, fuzzed-out guitars crash in, and folk flavors enter at the beginning of the first verse. Things move and evolve quickly. Beardfish songs (like most rock songs) will usually focus on a small number of ideas that complement one another, but this sprawling, 11-minute piece sees them venture all over the musical map. I really like their adventurousness here.

"In the Autumn" features an opening guitar passage that evokes certain medieval-influenced classic prog acts, like Gryphon or Gentle Giant. Unfortunately, the verse is clunky and hokey, and the guest vocals just don't work. The deliveries are all overwrought and unnatural. The instrumental moments of this song are fine, but the verses really undercut it.

The album's closing track, "Torrential Downpour", has a rolling, slinking rhythm that would make it a solid addition to the soundtrack of a Western. The guitars have both twang and bite, and fluttering Hammond organ adds great contrast. Jangly folk flavors emerge in the second half, and there's some nice instrumentalism. Things do drag on for longer than they need to, however.

The digital version of this album features the bonus track "Ecotone - Norrsken 1982", an electronic reimagining of the opening cut. It's fine, but there's clearly a reason it's just a bonus track.

Beardfish's return to recording has resulted in an enjoyable release. If you like their prior output, you'll probably like this, too. I wouldn't label this as essential listening by any means, and if you're just getting into Beardfish, there are better entry points (anything they put out 2007-2011). If you're looking for lightly-hard-rock-flavored and highly melodic progressive rock, though, you'll probably enjoy this.

Review originally posted here: theeliteextremophile.com/2024/11/21/album-review-beardfish-songs-for-beating-hearts/

Songs for beating hearts is the brand new album from Beardfish, one of my all time favourites since I heard The Sane Day some years ago. It really was quite a surprise to hear back from them after nearly ten years of hiatus and my expectations were in crescendo since I heard the single. It seems that for this new work they are back to the style of their first albums and I would say it sounds like a mix between The sane day and Sleeping in traffic, but without the quirkyness and the Canterbury twists of those. However, this album offers an equally rewarding experience and I am sure is going to be among the best of the year. Glad to listen to this exciting new chapter from this great band!

A Melancholic Long-Bearded Fish

Beardfish is a Swedish progressive rock band formed in 2001. Their style recalls 1970s prog, but with their own unique energy. The band's best-known lineup included founding members vocalist/keyboardist Rikard Sjöblom and guitarist David Zackrisson, along with longtime drummer Magnus Östgren and bassist Robert Hansen. Over the years, Beardfish has built a loyal following and earned recognition in the European prog rock scene.

Rikard Sjöblom is a prolific musician and multi-instrumentalist who has also worked with other bands like Big Big Train and has a solo project called Gungfly. In Beardfish, Sjöblom is the creative force, responsible for much of the band's writing, keyboard, guitar, and vocals. His distinctive style and versatility have become defining elements of Beardfish's sound.

With nine albums, Beardfish's musical evolution has been impressive. Their early records reflect the influence of Frank Zappa and the Canterbury scene, bringing a playful, complex edge. Over time, they moved towards a more refined, classic prog sound similar to Genesis and Gentle Giant, also drawing from heavy prog styles like Wishbone Ash and Uriah Heep. Sjöblom's expressive vocals add a powerful emotional depth to their music.

I've been a fan of Beardfish since Mammoth in 2011. That album marked a turning point, bringing in a heavier, more metallic sound that culminated in, what I believe is their masterpiece, The Void from 2012.

Their latest album, Songs for Beating Hearts, recorded between 2023 and 2024, returns to their classic prog roots. It feels like a retrospective, drawing on early ideas from Beardfish's career while also embracing folk influences. The production has a warm, analog feel that gives the music a timeless, organic quality.

The album has six tracks, each with its own unique and emotional character. It opens with the dreamy melancholy of Ecotone, setting a reflective tone. Out In The Open is a five-part piece showcasing Beardfish's blend of intricate musicianship and rich melodies. The pastoral, bittersweet epic Beating Hearts, clocking in at 11 minutes, brings a sense of yearning that stays with you. Amanda Örtenhag's vocals on In the Autumn add a refreshing dimension, while Torrential Downpour delivers a powerful, atmospheric closing that has a "prog-noir" feel.

Overall, Songs for Beating Hearts is a strong album with interesting arrangements, epic compositions, and moments of beauty. While it may not be their best work, it's certainly their most emotional. Loosely tied together by themes of love, loss, and friendship, the album feels like a heartfelt tribute to the band's journey and their connection to fans.

A Swedish band whose Gentle Giant, Echolyn, and Frank Zappa influences are so pronounced that one often has to do a double check. Lead vocalist Rikard Sjöblom's unaccented American voice is a flawless clone of Brett Kull's (or THE TEA CLUB's MacGowan brothers or UNAKA PRONG's John Hargett).

1. "Awaken the Sleeping" (6:01) quite the bombastic opening (an instrumental)--crash and banging away--before slipping into a GG klezmer-ish motif to mix things up. These two motifs alternate for a 90 seconds before a bouncy piano veers us toward more true ELP/Gentle Giant territory. Incredible performances from all musicians--and the sound/tracks are so clean and crisp! There's even some humor emanating from the keys before all goes Roger King synth wash. (9/10)

2. "Destined Solitaire" (10:53) great Gentle Giant music (on the heavy side) supporting Rikard's witty, angry Ozzy Osbourne/Greg Lake-like vocal performance. There are several totally unexpected stylistic twists and turns despite retaining a rolling GG feel. (17.25/20)

3. "Until You Comply (including Entropy)" (15:21) laid back GENTLE GIANT with Hammond open this one until Rikard's McGowan vocal takes us into the world and sound of THE TEA CLUB. There certainly are many flourishes coming from Rikard's keys that are more Keith Emerson than Kerry Minear. (27/30)

4. "In Real Life There Is No Algebra" (4:33) now traipsing into a territory that feels and sounds more like Frank ZAPPA, the band wear it well. This is even true of the lyrics and singing style. (8.875/10)

5. "Where the Rain Comes In" (8:29) two minutes of dynamic and diverse instrumentalism is mellowed just before Rikard's vocal begins. This feels like a mix of AMBROSIA and ECHOLYN. The next instrumental segment sounds like a mix of GENTLE GIANT and FOCUS. Rikard's next brief vocal burst signals a switch into a more diverse, Latin-rhythmed instrumental passage. The half-talked vocal passage about (almost) getting a job is funny--and followed by a passage that kind of recapitulates all of the song's previous themes. (18/20)

6. "At Home... Watching Movies (1:53) Spanish flamenco music! With ELP-like singing! (5/5)

7. "Coup de Grâce" (9:49) an accordion-based instrumental song! Excellent melodies and dynamic and stylistic variety. A top three song for me. (18.75/20)

8. "Abigail's Questions (In an Infinite Universe)" (9:12) I hear some great ECHOLYN-like melodies and quirk on this one. The the Gentle Giant influences take a distant back seat. In fact, I'm more often reminded of NYC-based band FROGG CAFÉ over the long course of this one than I am of GG. My favorite song on the album. (19/20)

9. The Stuff That Dreams Are Made Of" (10:40) Quite a striking THE MARS VOLTA feel and sound to this one. Great vocal performance--almost Donald Fagen-like--but mostly he sounds kind of like a BRUCE DICKINSON-CEDRIC BIXLER-CHILDISH GAMBINO blend! The GENTLE GIANT element comes storming to the front at the end of the fourth minute but then get pushed back by the TMV motifs at the five-minute mark. Another GREAT song. My final top three song. (18.5/20)

Total Time 76:51

Hearing the two Sleeping in Traffic albums back when I first joined PA I decided that this was a band not worth my time, but I've just listened to this album and I can't get enough! So, I went back into the band's earlier discography and all I can say is that Wow! has this band evolved, developed, gained confidence and SKILL since their early days. Their progression and development since Sleeping in Traffic Part 1 has been astronomical! Even in one year, since Sleeping in Traffic, Part 2, I see tremendous growth in terms of skill, compositional sophistication, and the confident assimilation and synthesis of many of prog's toughest styles--including GENTLE GIANT and ECHOLYN, yet bringing an ease, melodic genius, and humour that is so winning. And singer Rikard Sjölom's voice has matured, gained confidence and ease, and offers such witty, sophisticated American English lyrics that I am simply blown away! There were actually five or six songs all vying strongly for my Top Three!

91.21 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of sophisticated, eclectic, and virtuosic progressive rock music. Definitely an essential pickup for any prog lover! A long album of intense, quirky, complex, though often melodic, songs. The highs are worthy of consideration for prog perfection, the lows are minor irritants.

I have been really interested in checking out more of the works of Beardfish. So far I have been pretty impressed with their work, especially with the two part concept album 'Sleeping In Traffic'. I wanted to give another one of their albums a spin, but I did not know which one. That is until I looked at this album's cover a bit closer. A mammoth covered in bloody snow with blue, fish-like silhouettes near its eyes, with dirty husks and crackly fur. It looks strange and nothing like any of the band's album covers. It wasn't dark and creepy, or depressing looking, but very surreal. So I decided to check it out.

The album starts with The Platform. Already the album starts off with a very heavy song that showcases a clear inspiration to metal bands of old. I have always appreciated the band's call to action when trying out different styles, and this song definitely delivers that in spades. They clearly progressed forward to new heights with this one in their own Beardfishy way. This also gets pretty epic through the second half, heck almost going near extreme metal at a point before wrapping back to a signature start that evolves into more heavy playing. A great start for this album.

The next song is And The Stone Said: If I Could Speak. It is a 15 minute epic that continues the momentum The Platform gave us and expands upon it to a more proggy and almost a Yes level of bizarre. You can also hear a bit of their European roots in this song, especially near the beginning with a quiet keyboard playing a more Swedish sounding melody. It flows very nicely and feels very consistent with its melodies and progressions to where the song feels long but also very enjoyable in how they operate. It drips and pours with talent that this band seems to always master, and that goes hand in hand with how grand this song feels without it feeling overly pretentious.

After that we got Tightrope, and this song goes less of a hard rock point of view and more baroque. Not saying it doesn't continue the feelings the last two songs delivered, but this tune is clearly a bit more inspired by folk tunes from bands like Jethro Tull or heck even a little bit of Gryphon. It's super fun sounding and delivers some great riffs. That is another thing this band does well and that is their riffs. They are all so consistently great that they never become boring when I hear them. However I failed to mention this when talking about the last songs, but when I heard this song I paid a bit more attention to the lyrics. In most cases I really love the song writing in a ton of Beardfish songs due to how weird, wacky, and funny they are, while also delivering a sense of seriousness much like lyrics from Frank Zappa or Devin Townsend. Here on this album though, it's pretty weak on the humor and is generally more serious. Normally I wouldn't mind this, but the songs never really deliver that Beardfish writing feel. The instrumentation is still incredible but they really are lacking in quality in terms of lyrics. They feel a bit too mellow down and a bit too serious, and never once do I feel they go hand in hand with the more quirky sounding songs. It definitely gives this album its own flavor, but think of it as eating two similar sandwiches with both having a different meat. One has ham on it and the other has thick roast beef. The ham one is fun and enjoyable, and so is the roast beef sandwich, but that one is less tasty than the ham sandwich. Now imagine the ham sandwich as, let's say, Sleeping In Traffic Part One, and the beef sandwich as this album. It's less fun due to the lyrics being a bit too serious for my liking in terms of talking about Beardfish. It's a little disappointing, but at least the album makes up for it with some great instrument playing, so I gotta commend it for that.

Next song is Green Waves, and this goes very hard. Back to more hard rock roots, this song tiptoes on the line in the sand from just standard Prog rock to Prog metal, which I just love. The best part is, this song is 8 minutes, so it gives you a nice amount of some heavy progressive music. This is also where the singing really shines most. While the lyrics are still a little muddy, I think Rikard Sjöblom is at his peak with this song. They just sound so intense and awesome that it goes hand in hand with the instrumentation to where every strain in his voice just feels so much more powerful, which is always appreciated with these more heavy songs.

The next song is this piano melody named Outside / Inside. This definitely feels more like a prelude of sorts, but it is pretty and gets the job done as a nice sweet break from the heavy songs that persisted up until this point, so it's pretty appreciated.

Next up is Akakabotu, an instrumental piece showcasing a more jazzy side to the music of Beardfish, very much inspired by those jazzy songs of Gentle Giant and King Crimson. I really dig this, the horns go so well with the keys and guitars that everything just works so well together, though I don't really like the extremely loud sax in the middle, that was kinda ear grating to say the least, but it only was more a few seconds so it didn't really bother me too much. Overall it is a great song that just breathes more life into this album.

Lastly is Without Saying Anything, where it also features another musician named Ventriloquist. This song feels much more in line with Beardfish's older stuff while also giving a more poetic stance on the lyrics. This is a great closing track with a bunch of great riffs and progressions, though this song feels a bit weak in terms of how it uses those riffs and progressions since they were handled much better in songs before this one since it feels like it was intended to be more at the start of the album, rather than at the end. However it does end with a beautiful piano segment that allows the album to end at a high note.

So this is a very interesting album. It has that Beardfish charm but only in terms of instrumentation, but despite that it is still very solid and has a ton of great moments to make up for its shortcomings. I see this as Beardfish's black sheep album, it's pretty interesting and delivers on all fronts, while also having its very own identity separate from other albums. I definitely recommend checking it out for a good Beardfish experience that is a little different from the rest.