SIMON SAYS

I really love the ending of White glove with it's groovy bass and catchy melodies in the vocals and guitar, it's really nice to listen to. In that same song there's a tone shift that happends towards the end with some tradicional indian instrumets, there's a sitar playing and very interesting sounding percussive instruments, the best part of the this section for me is how naturally it flows with the rest of the music. There's also a very beatiful Änglagård sounding part in Paradise Squares, some amazing piano playing and very bombastic chords using organ and keybords. It's generally a very memorable and well crafted album and I've listened to multiple songs a lot of times even if I've only discovered it last month.

1- "And By the Water" (4:45): It starts with only vocals as they're abruptly interrupted by some very energetic instrumentals. We have an amazing bass and drums with chords in the synths aswell as the guitar playing the melody alongside the keyboards, which is something that appears a lot in songs from Simon Says. This section sounds a lot like something from Gentle Giant like "For Nobody" or maybe something from "Free Hand". The mood shifts pretty rapdly, there's a little guitar solo accompanied by a powerful bassline and then a very clean and atmosferic session on the synths. The vocals play alongside chords on guitar, the vibe gets peaceful but at the same time mysterious, it's very melodic and pleasing, a sound that repeats a lot throughout the album.

I really enjoy the chorus and the vocals in this song, they are very emotional and add to the incredible atmosphere. The song gets more hopeful during the outro, which sounds a lot like Genesis. The ending has a very short but sweet piano melody. It's a very impactful introduction, it really sets the tone for what's to come. The melodies are delicate and intrieguing, the echoes in the vocals give the song a surreal and ethereal vibe and it's overall very well constructed and clean. The guitar solo sound a lot like what you would expect from Änglagård, which is always welcome. But overall, it's not on the same level as the other songs that follow it. (7.4/10)

2- "Paradise Square" (13:43): The start is already very memorable and exciting, the keyboard and guitar complement each other perfectly. I love the falsetto that Daniel Fäldt does in this and some other songs from this band, it's really tasteful and complements the overall vibe and melodies of the intruments. His voice is kinda hard to get used to, he has a very unique timbre and plays a lot with the tone and pitch of his voice in very unique ways, I liked it since my first listen but some people might find it hard to get used to. In general, I think the starts to feel repetive after a while and it isn't as interesting as the rest, it feels a bit empty aside from the drumfills and great vocals but fortunetly the songs gets more interesting pretty quickly.

The section in 3:54 is very emotional, the voice seems sincere, it expresses longing, aswell as hope, anguish and loneliness, meanwhile a very heartfelt piano melody starts playing. The synthesized strings that appear right after makes this section even more dramatic as it resolves in such a brillant way while the drums and bass kick in, it's such an expansive sound, it makes you feel like you are floating, it's a joy that is really hard to describe but the harmony between the intruments and the peaceful vibes are just breathtaking.

In 5:57 comes my favorite part, the organ kicks in alongside the guitar as the percussion gets more and more intense with phenomenal drumfills that make this section even more interesting. The organs come back alongside synthesized vocals that sound very similar to those used by Änglagård. The mood chages constantly throughout this song, it's a journey across various emotions, sounds and instrumentations. The ending is very exciting: right after 4 chords are played in sequence, a very mysterious piano melody is played leaving the song in a very ambiguous tone.

Ultimately this is a very well constructed epic with a lot of intensity and softness playing in contrast althroughout. I quite like most parts including the easier to listen and the stranger and bombastic. The vocals are astonishing in this song aswell, very expressive and intense, I specially enjoy the vocals that start in 7:33. Overall it's a very powerful song, but I have mixed feeling about it, it drags on for quite a bit in some section, although, naturally depending on the moment I listen it will strike different emotions on me and it didn't always make me as excited as my first listen, but I still feel that wonder specially during my favorite parts. The piano and keyboards in this song are absolutely fantastic. (9.5/10)

3- Striking a Single note for love (11:08): This one has a very different vibe from all the others. It's has some very easy going melodies and synth sounds accompaning a happy melody in the vocals. It starts off with a more ambient and atmospheric sound as the chords, the groovy bass and drums come in. I love the arpeggios in the synths constantly changing as the melody of the vocals develops, it sounds very modern, fun and catchy. There's some amazing keyboard work and cheerful vocals that contributes to the light atmosphere of this first section.

I love the part when Daniel Fäldt sings "then everything was quiet" as the song is bathed in heavenly chords of synthesized strings, changing the mood to a softer tone in contrast with the exciting part in the start. The vocals start to become more intense and then comes a stunning keybord solo. But as the first section comes to an end it delves into a whole other world as the song begins to stand out among the rest. It develops into a very jazzy section with a very funky guitar, electric organs and improvised keyboards. The time signature changes to 3/4, the percussion is remarkable and complementing the chill vibe of this unique part. The next section develops a lot slower, with just a very simple bass, guitar, drums and vocals in the start. the vocals start off very breathy and quiet as they become stronger and more apparent and the synths come in making this part even more pleasing. Then enters a harminica melody alongside the vocals which sounds incredible and it's an intrument that I rarely hear being used in prog rock so it really caught me off guard in a really positive way.

The part in 9:09 is one of my favorite, the vocals are so lovely and emotional. An amazing solo comes right after making one of the catchiest parts of the song, specially because of the chords which are extremely moving and a delight to listen as the amazing guitar solo plays. The song ends with a march that sounds like a circus song, I don't know why but this song has an underlying circus theme sprinkled throughout. Althought I don't understand the reasoning behind that, it makes this one of the most different and creative songs in the album, it's overflowing with creativity and amazing melodies. (8.6/10)

4- Fly in the bottle (5:48): I really underestimated this song when I first listened to it, I got desinterested towards the start and didn't even give it a proper listen until recently. The guitar in this song is absolutely exquisite and in the introduction it's accompanied by a marvelous oboe line. Initially I didn't like the vocals in this song, because it wasn't exactly in tune and I didn't really like when he sang deeply such as the part where he sings "the wind" but it doesn't really matter, a voice doesn't need to be in tune all the time to be great, I really enjoy the timbre of his voice, the way he sings with emotion and intensity, it adds a lot to the beauty of all their songs. Then comes a very expensive section with synthesized voices as it transitions to synthesized strings as a gorgeous guitar solo plays. The contrapoint during 2:48 really caught my attention by how both synths communicate perfectly. I think that even with this song being really beautiful, it's the guitar and synths that make it above everage, it's very melodic, moving, engaging and increadibly dramatic, if I had heard this song until the end my first thoughts on it would be a lot different, but it still isn't an amazing song in the same level as the other. (6/10)

5- Darkfall (2:35): this isn't a very excting piece on it's own as it works as a transition between "Fly in The Bottle" and "White Glove", but it really stands out among the rest for it's use of sitar and very tense and almost threatning atmosphere. It feels like a disaster is about to happen and it builds quite a beautiful and expansive sounds. Even if it's mostly just an ambient track, some of the synth melodies are really great but it's far from being memorable or even everage. (3/10)

6- White Glove (15:26): Now we finally got to my absolute favorite from this album. The guitar playing in the start is pleasing, the vocals are more emotional than ever, it's such a moving song and it starts in a really promising way. I absolutely adore the strings and piano in 1:46. The chorus has an amasing electric organ, percussion, bass and the vocals are powerful and moving. In 4:31 the song starts to breakdown, the vocalist laughs (which reminds me of the laugh from "The Boys in the Band" from Gentle Giant) and a very dissonant piano starts playing with some funky keyboards. When the bass and the guitar come in it's the most amazing feeling, the chords are fantastic, the energy is potent and then the melody from the chorus comes back again but now with a guitar on top adding another flavour and making it sound fresh.

The combination of piano and voice after that is so delighful, an absolute joy to listen. I love the how the piano gets louder and then quieter again as if the listenener was getting closer and backing away from the piano player, I've never seen something like this before and it makes for such a cool effect.

The section in 8:43 is very energetic and it reminds me of the start of "And By the River" but even more engaging. As the synth seems to break and gets quieter, the sitar starts playing a very compelling melody accompanied by a very groovy bass interupted by powerful chords on the synths. The song gets chaotic changing between different sounds but never staying to long in each one. As a chorus of synthesized voices plays we transition into the next section: the bass as strong as ever, so many sounds playing at once as the song changes from a tense mood to a light and carefree one. The development of this section is absolutely insane, it's divine.

Then comes my favorite part of the song: the bass solo. As the solo develops and get more complex, the intruments follow the flow as new intruments enter. The vocals come in and we get to one of the catchier section: it's rich, fun, weird and it makes me feel so much. The backing vocals are lovely and it makes this section even more engaging. This song is overwhelmingly good and by far the most memorable. (9.7/10)

7- Aftermath (10:02): Very dramatic, it starts off with smashing chords on synth and piano and intense bass and guitar accompaning it. The vocals feel melancolic as a beautiful piano and bass plays. The section in 1:32 is filled to the brim with detail and sounds in the background. The piano and bass that follows are elegant and harmonious. The intense moment right away gets a bit old quickly and the solo that follows is quite good. Even if this song is pretty it's in a similar position to "Fly in the Bottle", it's beautiful but not as engaging as the rest, I'm struggling trying to think of what to say. It's not like it's a bad song, it has a lot of memorable melodies but it's harder to get in your head because it takes a while to appretiate and undertand. I feel like this song would be better before "White Glove" because that would be a much better closing peace. This song has some highlights though: there's a bass solo that uses slap towards the end and like the others, the ending is mysterious and grandious. Afterall it left me with a bad taste in my mouth, but it's still great, but nothing more. (7.3/10)

Simon Says has a great vocalist in Daniel Feldt. With his virtually accent-free pronunciation, he navigates through the lush compositions of the album. His expressive singing style gives a distinctive character to the band's sound, and it's reassuring that he never overextends himself. However, it's the instrumental passages that stand out the most. In any case, it's the musical elements that make "Tardigrade" what it is. The band makes its statement in a whopping 74 minutes, and it's completely captivating. That's the strength of this album; everything is compelling to the core. Full- bodied organ chords, stately Mellotron sounds, sultry Moog riffs, sharp electric guitar bursts, atmospheric acoustic guitar picking, booming bass work, decisive drums, and creative tinkering with a vocoder make up the ingredients of this sonic dish.

All compositions are spawned from the mind of bassist Stefan Renstrom, noting that he shares credits with guitarist Jonas Hellberg on a few tracks. The lyrics are written by Feldt himself, enhancing the overall intensity. It's easier to empathize with your own writings than with someone else's. Whatever the case may be, "Tardigrade" showcases a rich range of creativity. The album features three epic tracks of 14, 10, and almost 27 minutes, respectively. Holy moly. As compensation, there are also a few short interludes on the album. Particularly beautiful in that regard is the 2:32- minute Moon Mountain, where electric and acoustic guitars embrace each other.

Let's start at the beginning, as "Tardigrade" prompts us to do so. If you were to make a list of the most convincing opening tracks in the prog genre, the nearly fifteen-minute Suddenly The Rain deserves a high ranking. Just consider the strong intro where the bombastic organ chords are fuller than fat. This complex chunk of retro-prog is blessed with a fantastic vocal line in the choruses. We are eagerly taken into a lush, almost instrumental interlude where acoustic guitar and later piano pave the way for a kilogram-heavy pot of prog extravagance. This adventure concludes with a guitar solo, followed by a repetition of the chorus that blows the track away.

Despite Simon Says exuding a serious degree of originality, it's the resemblance to IQ that just keeps the band from brilliance. The short title track demonstrates that, although the nitpicking comes from abundance.

The subsequent The Chosen One starts moodily with acoustic guitar, Mellotron, and vocals with backing vocals. Midway through, the mood shifts towards a happy, peppy vibe, complete with vocoder. Another unmissable track is As The River Runs, a composition that starts dark and eventually builds into euphoria?a beautiful piece of songcraft.

The amusingly titled Strawberry Jam is nothing more or less than a showcase for Renstrom's enormous talents as a bassist. It sounds challenging and daring. It's gratifying that the track reaffirms Renstrom's status as an exceptional musician. The voluptuous Brother Were 'You Bound? showcasing Simon Says at their best for almost half an hour sounds like a logical consequence. Describing it would be futile. Some things you shouldn't try to analyze. There's so much beauty that defies expression in words; it's better left to the imagination.

It's truly regrettable that there has never been a successor to "Tardigrade." Let's cherish it, as we are accustomed to doing.

Orginally posted on www.progenrock.com

Simon Says did not abandon the long forms of Progressive Rock music and still produced stretched and interesting compositions, they did update though their sound a bit, moving somewhat from their old-fashioned GENESIS stylings for a more contemporary style, which still involved huge analog echoes on Mellotron and organ, delivered with a cleaner and more modern production.They were caught though in the trap of sounding extremely close to SPOCK'S BEARD and THE FLOWER KINGS, offering arrangements with alternating synth and Mellotron/organ textures, strong symphonic tendencies and some lighter poppy tunes.The material is still well-written with captivating melodies and professional executions, ranging from pretty dramatic themes with atmospheric instrumental passages to more optimistic and accesible tunes.Lots of bombastic keyboard parts, sudden shifts in tempos and a few jazzy vibes result a work, that has been written with intelligence and passion till' the last detail.Good and sometimes adventurous guitar parts with melodic and post-psychedelic leanings and an efficient rhythm section complete the picture of the group, that now seems influenced by a wider spectrum, including GENESIS, YES, KAIPA and FOCUS.However the resemblances with SPOCK'S BEARD''s or THE FLOWER KINGS' music get a bit disturbing in the process.

Rich and interesting Progressive Rock by a work, that could be seen as emblimatic regarding the style.Far from original, but very interesting with a few nice highlights like the great title-track.Strongly recommended...3.5 stars.

This is especially true of the two epics - opening 15-minute Suddenly the Rain (maybe just itsy- bitsy repetetive and Yes-inspired) and ending 26-minute Brother where you bound. The latter is one of my favorite epics because there is so much crammed in (no 3-minute spacey intros here, no sir) and yet it still flows naturally, going thru a plethora of crying lead guitar lines, folkish sections, some devilish piano, false endings etc.

But there's also so much variety on this album. Shorter rocker Tardigrade with its frenetic guitar licks and start-stop rhythms, folk-ish Circles End, mesmerising acoustic-electric duet Moon Mountain. Every song is distinct. Another distinctive feature are vocals. Unusual. Theatrical, accented and slightly nasally, yet somehow infectious.

I know that we reviewers must use 5 star ratings sparingly (and we use it here much too often - come one, do you really think this is an essential masterpiece and not just good?). But so much effort and diversity went into Tardigrade, that I don't hesitate here.

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.

Third album of this discret band from Sweden from 2008 named Tardigrade is a great follow up of Paradise square. Another 6 years gone until Simon Says released a new album. To me this is better then previous work, the passages and the overall arrangements are more intresting and mature. Great musicianship as before with plenty of great interplays between musicians, specially the keyboards are fantastic here. Long album clocking around 75 min with long instrumental passages, well performed and played in a pure symphonic prog tradition. Suddenly The Rain and the longest track Brother Where You Bound who has over 25 min are the best from this album, beautiful passages quite complex but yet accesibele most of the time. Little better then previous works but again doesn't fully impress me as other symphonic prog works let's sat from thet period. fans of Spock's beard, Transatlantic, The Flower Kings can easely love this band. 3.5 stars.