SLEEPING IN TRAFFIC - PART ONE

I'm SO excited about young bands that make GREAT music, no matter what the type. And with Beardfish, trying to figure out the type is one of things you should not worry about. Does it compare favorably (powerfully) with Zappa? Yes. these guys have the humor and the instrumental athleticism to recall One Size Fits All and Apostrophe. But this is not a mere clone of something else. To my ears, it sounds entirely new. It's only prog because it's so adventurous. 'And Never Know' is a great place to start on this record. A great six-minute rocker with a catchy chorus and blistering guitar solo. 'Roulette' comes right at you with the ARP soloist sound (I think... or is it Moog?) and you'd almost think you were 'Riding The Scree' on the Genesis' benchmark 'The Lamb' - and then there's the acordian solo. 'Harmony' continues the re-vamped Zappa tradition and 'The Ungodly Slob' delivers brilliantly on the promise made by its outrageous title. How can you not want to listen to a song with that name?

The music is experimental, melodic, comic, powerful and delightful. I can't wait to hear more.