Search - Beardfish :: Sleeping in Traffic: Part Two

Shoulda been called Sane Day Pt 2

todd | WA USA | 01/13/2009

(3 out of 5 stars)

"There are those who prefer the slightly more jam/schitzoid tendencies on Sane Day so this will come as good news, but for me, I liked the more song oriented, stoner rock approach of Sleeping In Traffic Pt 1. Yes, this album, like Sane Day, flirts with fusion and funk ala Zappa, as well as canterbury by way of Gentle Giant (so a collaboration with Tangent isn't farfetched). But this album also leans toward the jammier side of progressive rock, with jazz trappings reminiscent of The Flower Kings, which it stands to reason that TFK would be some influence on Beardfish, being they both hail from Sweden. But I prefer Beardfish more in their AOR incarnation than the somewhat forced sounding prog mode here. Not that anything here is too intricate or inaccessible, but they do indulge themselves prolonged jazz/prog exercises, ala TFK, and they seem to have ditched the blues based underpinnings of Pt1, an aspect of '70s prog that fails to get translated in the neo-prog of the '80s and beyond. Some of their instrumental workouts, while shorter, are quirky and angular ala '80s King Crimson, but sound like incomplete ideas stuck here and there, and seem to exist solely for the sake of a quick change of pace or break, whether they fit or not (if these breaks are improvisational, then more power to them I suppose). They also indulge in some '80s-Zappa-like humor, with a story based song, not unlike their Gooberville Ballroom Dancer from Sane Day, but this song goes on a tad too long and winds up way on the silly side, and well, not all that clever an ending for those who stuck it out the entire song.



We'll see if their collaboration with Andy Tillson (The Tangent) steers them into new territory, but another Sane Day Pt3 won't interest me. Sleeping In Traffic Pt1 sounded way more focused to my ears, and while the jammy stuff might sound fun live, I liked Pt1's cohesiveness, and its conciseness. I also miss the underlying blues-rock motif that permiates Pt1, but is absent on Pt2, making Pt2 sound much like every other Swedish prog band weened on old Kaipa albums.



Not saying this album is a total bust. There are moments of cerebral splendor here and there, as a few songs touch upon the theme of Pt1, and of course, the musicianship is solid. As jammy as they are here, they still play with a healthy restraint (they don't really show off), nor do they take themselves too seriously, as the recurring humor shows. But I'm less impressed this time around, as I feel I've heard it before."