Založba: Insideout Music
Datum izida: 1. 11. 2024
Produkcija: Beardfish
Dolžina albuma: 57.30 min
Zvrst: Progressive Rock
Ocena: 9.5/10
An English version can be find below – please scroll down the bar
Slovenska verzija:
Beardfish, švedski progrockovski revitalisti številnih glasbeno-pustolovskih vrlin, so po devetih letih
začasne ‘hibernacije’, vnovič med nami, čeprav so jim v tem času gotovo že večkrat pošteno zrasle
njihove vikinške brade. Novica o vrnitvi Beardfish ‘od mrtvih’ je marsikaterega privrženca njihovega lika
in dela pošteno presenetila, še posebno zato, ker je bil poglavar zasedbe, se pravi kitarist/klaviaturist,
pevec in osrednji skladatelj Rikard Sjöblom, v vmesnem obdobju pošteno zaposlen z udejstvovanjem pri
angleških progrockovskih imenitnežih Big Big Train ter z lastnim solo projektom Gungfly.
Zasedba skupine tudi na “Songs For Beating Hearts” ostaja nespremenjena (in to že od leta 2003 dalje),
saj Sjöblomu vnovič delajo družbo vrhunski kitarist David Zackrisson, medtem ko tradicionalno
eklektično ritem linijo tvorita basist Robert Hansen in bobnar Magnus Östgren. Sjöblom je vnovič ustvaril
vso glasbo na albumu in končni rezultat je nova poslastica za vse ljubitelje eklektičnega prog rocka po
‘starošolskem’ receptu. To pomeni, da se tudi to pot občasno slišijo številni vplivi prog titanov kot so
Genesis, Yes in Camel, medtem ko Beardfish sleherni kompoziciji na albumu pridodajo svojstven
aranžerski in ambientalni šarm. Obenem je zanimivo, da so se to pot skoraj popolnoma odpovedali razno
raznim, s canterburysko sceno navdahnjenim trenutkom eksentričnosti in šegavosti, značilnimi za večino
njihovih preteklih albumov.
“Ecotone” je presenetljivo spokojen, otožen in akustično obarvan uvod v album. Zelo solidno, vendar se
“Songs For Beating Hearts” zares razvije v čudovito pustolovščino med meandri progrockovske
eklektičnosti šele po uvodnih štirih minutah. Iz povsem drugega testa kot melanholični uvod je epski “Out
in the Open”, ki je ‘razkosan’ na pet delov. Združen skupaj bi sestavljal več kot dvajsetminutni superep v
pravi starošolski progrockovski maniri. Tu si Beardish ‘dajo duška’ s kompleksnimi harmonijami,
slikovitimi simfoničnimi aranžmaji ter pustolovskimi časovnimi prehodi, kar pomeni, da se album
dodobra razživi in to pot resnično zadiši po tistih klasičnih Beardfish, ki so jih privrženci morali čakati kar
devet let preden so ‘vstali iz groba’.
Med sekcijo “Oblivion” so, predvsem na račun večglasij, slišni tudi nekateri težkorockerski vplivi na čelu
z Uriah Heep, medtem ko Sjöblomove ‘orgije’ na klaviaturah pošteno spominjajo na stare dobre Emerson,
Lake & Palmer. Omeniti je potrebno, da je Sjöblom svojo glasbeno pot začel kot metalec, a se je v
nadaljevanju ogrel za progresivni rock, zato ni nič čudnega, če se v Beardfish kompozicije občasno
‘prikradejo’ tudi elementi težkega rocka. Na “Hopes and Dreams”, ki vsebuje kar nekaj sorodnosti z Yes
zimzelenom “And You And I”, se Zackrisson prek otožnih pasaž na akustični kitari za kratek čas spremeni
v Stevea Howea iz sedemdesetih let prejšnjega stoletja. Temu sledi še bolk eklektična in zanimiva
obnovitev osrednjega “Oblivion” motiva. Odličen vtis, ki ga za seboj zapusti nova epska stvaritev,
zapečati na trenutke že skorajda svečana zaključna sekcija “Around the Bend”.
Tudi 11-minutni mini ep “Beating Hearts” je ambiciozna stvaritev s poudarkom na godalnih aranžmajih
ter kompleksnih inštrumentalnih sekcijah med katerimi je moč slišati tako simfoprogrockovske, jazzovske
kot hardrockerske zvočne elemente. Vse skupaj izdatno zabeli Sjöblomova odlična pevska predstava. “In
the Autumn”, ki je izšel kot prvi single z albuma, na dodatnem vokalu vsebuje gostujočo pevko Amando
Örtenhag. V nasprotju s pogosto prakso žensko-moških duetov ne gre za kakšno osladno ljubezensko
balado, temveč za še en impresiven simfoprogrockovski ‘vrtiljak’ s številnimi eklektičnimi ritmičnimi
niansami in rahlimi folk podtoni. Obenem to pot, na račun dodatnega ženskega petja, Beardfish bolj kot
na Yes ali Genesis občasno spomnijo na zapuščino precej bolj ‘feminilnih’ prog skupin na čelu z
Renaissance in Curved Air. “Torrential Downpour”, ki vsebuje kar nekaj bluesovsko začinjenih kitarskih
pasaž ter tudi nekaj rahlih elementov alternativnega rocka, na trenutke zveni kot, da bi se za isto mizo
nahajali The Pineapple Thief, Steven Wilson oz. Porcupine Tree, Nektar in Deep Purple. Za bonus
skladbo so Beardfish na novo posneli uvodno stvaritev “Ecotone”, vendar v obliki inštrumentala z
elektronsko-sintetičnimimi teksturami na sintetizatorjih ter produkcijo značilno za osemdeseta leta
prejšnjega stoletja, zato ni čudno, da zveni kot, da bi bi bil posnet leta 1982.
“Songs For Beating Hearts” je vrnitev v epskem slogu za bradate švedske riboljubce (v tem trenutko
brado nosijo vsi štirje člani banda, medtem ko so njihovi hobiji in prehranjevalne navade bolj kot ne
nezanka). Zdelo se je, da bodo Beardfish na progresivnorockovski ‘časovnici’ za vekomaj pripadali prvim dvem desetletjem novega tisočletja, a so nas razveselili ter posneli še en izvrsten album, vreden njihove
večinoma izborne diskografije. “Songs For Beating Hearts” brez dvoma spada med najboljše progrockovske dosežke v letu 2024, ki je sicer navrglo kar nekaj pričakovanih in nepričakovanih
glasbenih biserov. Vsaj do izida novega albuma njihovih rojakov, progmetalskih prvakov Opeth bo ostal
tudi najlepše presenečenje švedske prog scene v omenjenem letu.
Avtor: Peter “Dr. ProgRock” Podbrežnik
English version:
Beardfish, Swedish prog-rock revivalists of many musical-adventurous virtues, after nine years of temporary ‘hibernation’, they are back among us again, although they have certainly grown a fair few their Viking beards. Return from the dead seemed unlikely to happen ever, especially since the band’s leader, i.e. guitarist/keyboardist, singer and central composer Rikard Sjöblom, has been fairly busy in the intervening period with his involvement in English prog-rock greats Big Big Train and with his own solo project Gungfly.
The band’s line-up remains unchanged on “Songs For Beating Hearts” (and has been since 2003), with Sjöblom once again being accompanied by top guitarist David Zackrisson, while the traditionally eclectic rhythm line is formed by bassist Robert Hansen and drummer Magnus Östgren. Sjöblom has once again created all the music on the album and the end result is a new treat for all fans of eclectic prog rock with an ‘old school’ recipe. This means that even this way you can occasionally hear the many influences of prog titans such as Genesis, Yes and Camel, while Beardfish adds a unique arranging and ambient twist to every composition on the album. At the same time, it is interesting to note that they have almost completely abandoned the various Canterbury-inspired moments of eccentricity and quirkiness that are typical of most of their previous albums.
“Ecotone” is a surprisingly calm, atmospheric and acoustic introduction to the album. Very solid, but “Songs For Beating Hearts” really develops into a wonderful adventure among the meanders of prog-rock eclecticism only after the opening four minutes. From a completely different dough than the melancholic opening, the epic “Out in the Open”, which is ‘split’ into five parts. Combined, they would make up a super-epic of more than twenty minutes in true old-school prog-rock fashion. Here, Beardish ‘let their hair down’ with complex harmonies, picturesque symphonic arrangements and adventurous time passages, meaning that the album comes alive and this way it really smacks of those classic Beardfish that followers have had to wait for for quite a while nine years before they ‘rose from the grave’.
During the “Oblivion” section, especially at the expense of the polyphonies, some heavy-rocker influences can be heard, led by Uriah Heep, while Sjöblom’s keyboard ‘orgies’ are honestly reminiscent of good old Emerson, Lake & Palmer. It’s worth mentioning that Sjöblom started his musical career as a metalhead, but later warmed up to progressive rock, so it’s no wonder if elements of heavy rock occasionally ‘sneak’ into Beardfish compositions. On “Hopes and Dreams”, which contains some similarities with the Yes evergreen “And You And I”, Zackrisson briefly turns into Steve Howe from the 1970s through wistful passages on acoustic guitar. This is followed by an even more eclectic and intriguing revival of the central “Oblivion” motif. The great impression left behind by this new epic is sealed by the at times almost solemn closing section “Around the Bend”.
The 11-minute mini-epic “Beating Hearts” is also an ambitious creation, with an emphasis on string arrangements and complex instrumental sections, among which one can hear symfoprogrock, jazz and hard rock influences. All of this is abundantly rounded off by Sjöblom’s excellent vocal performance. “In the Autumn”, released as the album’s first single, features guest vocals from Amanda Örtenhag. Contrary to the common practice of female-male duets, this is not some sappy love ballad, but another impressive symfoprogrock ‘carousel’ with many eclectic rhythmic nuances and slight folk undertones. At the same time, this way, at the expense of additional female vocals, Beardfish occasionally recall the legacy of much more ‘feminine’ prog bands led by Renaissance and Curved Air more than Yes or Genesis. “Torrential Downpour”, which contains some blues-spiced guitar passages and also some slight elements of alternative rock, at times it sounds as if The Pineapple Thief, Steven Wilson or Porcupine Tree, Nektar and Deep Purple were all at the same table. For the bonus track, Beardfish have re-recorded the opening track “Ecotone”, but in the form of an instrumental with electronic-synth textures on synthesizers and a production typical of the 1980s, so it’s no wonder that it sounds as if it was recorded in 1982.
“Songs For Beating Hearts” is an epic-style comeback for the bearded Swedish fishermen (at the moment all four members of the band are bearded, while their hobbies and eating habits still remain unknown). It seemed that Beardfish would forever belong to the first two decades of the new millennium on the prog-rock ‘timeline’, but they delighted us and recorded another excellent album worthy of their mostly select discography. “Songs For Beating Hearts” is undoubtedly one of the best prog-rock achievements of 2024, a year that has thrown up some expected and unexpected musical gems. At least until the release of the new album by their compatriots, prog-metal champions Opeth, it will also remain the most beautiful surprise of the Swedish prog scene in the year.
Author: Peter “Dr. ProgRock” Podbrežnik
Seznam skladb:
1. Ecotone
2. Out In The Open, Pt. 1 – Overture
3. Out In The Open, Pt. 2 – Oblivion
4. Out In The Open, Pt. 3 – Hopes And Dreams
5. Out In The Open, Pt. 4 – Oblivion (Reprise)
6. Out In The Open, Pt. 5 – Around The Bend
7. Beating Hearts
8. In The Autumn
9. Ecotone (Reprise)
10. Torrential Downpour
11. Ecotone – Norrsken 1982
Zasedba:
Rikard Sjöblom – vokal, klaviature
David Zackrisson – kitara
Robert Hansen – bas kitara
Magnus Östgren – bobni
