The Swedes BEARDFISH chose their name remarkably well — and we say this without a hint of irony. It becomes almost immediately clear what genre these musicians work in, as the inevitable associations with SPOCK'S BEARD and FISH arise without fail. In press materials, the band is presented as heirs to FRANK ZAPPA and GENTLE GIANT. Objectively speaking, what we hear is indeed retro-prog. Let us note right away that none of the musicians from THE FLOWER KINGS, ANEKDOTEN, or other well-known Swedish retro-prog acts have participated in BEARDFISH — though a certain continuity with those bands can be felt.
The compositions on the disc are arranged rather oddly, but you quickly get used to it, and before long it feels perfectly natural. The 12-minute energetic "Roulette" is placed right in the middle of the album and gives way to a short '60s-style ballad — "Dark Poet," followed by the psychedelic "Harmony," and then the nearly 7-minute instrumental "The Ungodly Slob." All of this was recorded by a quartet of musicians, among whom special mention goes to multi-instrumentalist, band founder, and songwriter Rikard Sjoblom — he sings, plays guitar, assists the drummer, and of course all keyboard and accordion parts belong to him as well. The latter instrument adds a pleasant dose of folk flavor to the band's music.
The album listens easily, yet it doesn't exactly astonish — let's be frank, it lacks that deep energy we hear on the solo works of NEAL MORSE, Thomas Bodin, or ROINE STOLT. The interesting moments of psychedelic sound certainly embellish the BEARDFISH record, but again, they are received calmly. This is already the band's third album. The previous ones came out in 2003 and 2006. Finding information about the group is quite difficult. It would be unsurprising if this album met the same fate as its predecessors — that is, it will attract interest in very narrow circles among those who have already heard the band's albums, critics will write laudatory reviews, but no breakthrough will occur once again. On the other hand, there has to be room in this world for completely non-commercial music.