Jeremy Tardif - Fish In A Bowl Beside The Ocean

Jeremy Tardif

Fish In A Bowl Beside The Ocean
self-released; 2013

3.6 out of 5

By Stephanie Windfeldt

Jeremy Tardif’s freshman effort Fish In A Bowl Beside The Ocean, released November 3rd of 2013, played in the background of my morning. The heart aching vocals and the gorgeous piano riffs soon brought it to the foreground and I couldn’t take my ears off the translucent sound.

A mix of classical influences, such as Dvorak and Bach, find new ground in a prog-rock incarnation. As a classically trained pianist, Tardif began to grow as a composer and singer/songwriter. Tardif, who is the former lead singer for the progressive rock band Marching Mind, takes his sound in a whole new direction on Fish In A Bowl Beside The Ocean.

Jesse Karr, who plays bass on the album, recorded all tracks at The Hive Creative Studios in British Columbia. Karr then mixed and mastered at Rain City Studios in Vancouver, BC. The album also features Hayato Kubo on drums, Alex Hauka on cello, and Cary Tardif on the trumpet.

“Water’s Dust,” the first track on the album, begins with stark vocals that give the impression of an Irish wake; as soon as the piano crashes in it does not let up for the rest of the album. “Bubbleman” could easily be a radio hit and reminded me of everything I love about Toad and The Wet Sprocket. “The Deepest Science” starts off sounding like the coolest Bill Nye episode ever then continues gaining speed as a sensitive and rhythmic tune. “Mouse.” the last track on Fish In A Bowl Beside The Ocean pulls the listener through gorgeous and unconventional chord pairings, swooping into hopeful notes that cradle breathless vocals.

On “The Show” Tardif sings, “every time you walk away from there, you want to walk away and never look back.” I get the impression that this sentiment is not melancholic or resentful, but the triumphant start of something new.

In 2014, Tardif will move to Australia to tap into the thriving musical community of Melbourne. Give Fish In A Bowl Beside The Ocean if you need a new album to sing along to. As the name suggests, this artist is on the brink of something magnificent and vast. After listening to this album, I can understand how that fish feels.

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