Ghostly Beard: Inward

It’s a matter of months since I last spoke about Ghostly Beard, the debut EP, Infinite, from this one man outfit an enjoyable five track offering that reminded of Pink Floyd while still hinting at some wider themes and ideas. Lyrically it was a personal journey and one delivered in candid style. Calling the follow up, full length album Inward, should give you an idea that Mr. Beard is still bringing it to us from the heart. That is where the similarities end, for while it’s clearly the same voice telling these tales, the whole vibe is decidedly different. Where large guitar pieces with soaring solos and the odd crunched riff were previously the order of the day, with Inward things are much more laid back. Horizontal even.

In many ways it’s difficult to shake off the feeling that you’re intruding when you sit to take Inward in. What with the restrained style, the personal lyrics take centre stage and there’s no denying that the Beard gives it to you from his inner most being. With the musical stance as relaxed as can be, it does leave some slightly simple vocalisations holding the fort… and they just about do as “How Does It Feel?� comes across as an extended intro to Fleetwood Mac’s “Albatross�. It’s all a long step from the prog of a few months ago, with an intended jazzy feel sometimes just coming across as soft rock and not really insisting you stay the course. Maybe it’s been the lack of early year Scottish sunshine in my life, for I can imagine sitting in the garden, drink in hand, whiling away the hours to the shuffle of “Gone�, the gentle bustle of “Let Go� or the pitter patter of “Let It Rain� and its fretless bass meanders. Although whether any of them would stick in the mind long after, I’m not quite so sure.

Ghostly Beard has set his stall out. This is not a man who is going to be restrained by genre, nor restrained by expectation. I only wish on this occasion that the music he chose to illustrate that with wasn’t quite so restrained in itself. Inward is an interesting and cared for journey but I’m not convinced it’s one I’ll be taking all that often.

Track Listing
1. How Does It Feel?
2. The Love in Your Eyes
3. Gone
4. Autumn Blues
5. Night Train
6. Let Go
7. It Doesn't Matter
8. 9 to 5 (Barely Alive)
9. Let It Rain
10. Going Away

Added: May 13th 2018
Reviewer: Steven Reid
Score:
Related Link: Ghostly Beard at bandcamp
Hits: 1285
Language: english

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