SLEEPING IN TRAFFIC - PART TWO

I could see so much potential in this band when I reviewed their "The Sane Day" album. Well lets just say that potential has been fulfilled in spades with "Sleeping In Traffic : Part Two". I can't tell you how impressed I am with this release. I really like the vocalist but man can these guys play ! I read where Mike Portnoy said that BEARDFISH were one of his favourite new bands playing in that seventies style. I couldn't agree with him more. In the liner notes Rikard says "Everyone plays better than ever on this album and the music feels new and fresh.The songs are maybe a bit weirder than usual and might need a few plays more on the stereo than our previous ones in order to please those crazy tastebuds you all have in your ear canals. But if your anything like us it's gonna be worth it". By the way the center piece of this album the almost 36 minute "Sleeping In Traffic" is a song the band wrote in 2002 and have been playing live ever since, but up until now they didn't feel it was right for one of their albums.

"As The Sun Sets" is a short keyboard intro signaling that night is almost upon us.The concept here concerns the "goings on" during the night, while the previous album dealt with the "goings on" during the day. "Into The Night" is such a catchy tune with vocals as drums and organ help lead the way. Guitar comes in when it settles. It kicks back in and we get some great bass 3 1/2 minutes in as it calms down again. Some fast paced vocals 7 minutes in. "The Hunter" opens with deep bass and drums as guitar comes in.The organ is prominant 2 minutes in with vocals to follow. Great bass lines throughout this one. "South Of The Border" sounds like a cover of a Zappa tune. It's not of course but man these guys have some really good ideas, and they all seem to work perfectly.This song is hilarious about this male chauvinist named Garth who becomes "Gay-Man-Garth". Haha. Very funny lyrics throughout. And the instrumental music on this track is killer !

"Cashflow" is an instrumental that is uptempo early. It settles before a minute. A dead calm 2 minutes in but it builds back up with a silly melody including some accordion. "The Downward Spiral / Chimay" is dark with some excellent bass when it kicks in. Vocals after a minute. Some fantastic instrumental work on this one. It ends as it began. "Sleeping In Traffic" is one of the best tracks i've heard in a while. You would think with it being almost 36 minutes long it would have moments that drag. No, no it doesn't. Fat bass lines to open with light drums as the guitar comes in sounding fantastic. The tempo picks up and we get some Fripp-like guitar. Nice. The song continues to change and evolve and themes are repeated. It's absolutely amazing ! There's even some Post-Rock style guitar around 17 1/2 minutes and the heavy melody that follows sounds like "Owner Of A Lonely Heart". Some Zappa- like vocals 26 minutes in. The heavy ending is unbelievable. I'm barely touching the surface on this track on purpose because I won't do it justice. "Sunrise Again" is a reprise of the opening track really.

Obviously this band blew Andy Tillison away when they toured with his band THE TANGENT. In fact he was so impressed he asked them to be part of THE TANGENT.They accepted. Can't wait to hear what that will sound like. For me this is brilliant, funny and most of all so enjoyable. I feel this deserves 5 stars. Gotta go now and hit the "repeat" button.