Sleeping In Traffic, Pt. 2

Although progressive rock's popularity peaked in the '70s, it continued to enjoy a cult following in the 21st century — and one of the noteworthy prog rock bands that came out of Europe in the 2000s was Sweden's Beardfish, who have no problem balancing intellect and emotion on their fourth album, Sleeping in Traffic, Pt. 2. The material on this 74-minute CD has plenty of complexity; tracks like "The Hunter," "As the Sun Sets," "South of the Border," and "Sunrise Again" have all kinds of twists and turns, and none of them adhere to a simple verse/chorus/verse/chorus format. But complexity never comes at the expense of feeling on Sleeping in Traffic, Pt. 2; nor does it come at the expense of humor. Granted, "humor" isn't a word that one often hears in connection with progressive rock — which has often been accused of taking itself too seriously — but it's a word that is definitely applicable on parts of this album, and some of Beardfish's sense of humor comes from having a healthy appreciation of the late Frank Zappa. Gentle Giant, Yes, Genesis, and Camel have all been cited as major influences on Beardfish, but the Scandinavians have learned some things from Zappa as well. Zappa had no problem being cerebral and goofy at the same time, and his oddball sense of humor is a positive influence on Sleeping in Traffic, Pt. 2. This album is a consistently appealing demonstration of what prog rock has to offer in the 21st century.