I first heard Tinyfish on their 2009 live dvd, One Night On Fire: Live in Poland. From that point they hooked me onto their brand of progressive based rock. Soon afterward, they released The Big Red Spark (2010)., of which that album secured them for me even more. I felt it was the pinnacle of their discography.
In 2011, I was so looking forward to seeing Tinyfish at RoSfest but my finances didn’t allow for it. Simon Godfrey sent me a copy of their debut. Upon my first listen, I see how the music first took shape. Since then I acquired “Curious Things” from a friend. It was released in between the first and The Big Red Spark albums. In all honesty, I can only recommended it for the Tinyfish fan.
All the things that made me love The Big Red Spark, are present here but in a more “embryonic” state. Most of the songs are between the two & 6 minute mark, with the almost thirteen minute epic, “All Hands Lost”. Had I reviewed this album when it came out in 2006, I would have had the same positive feeling about it as I do now.
The self titled Tinyfish debut album is for fans of the more melodic progressive based rock genre. It could be called “cross-over” progressive rock, again in a positive way. If you’re seeking complex million notes per second, then Tinyfish isn’t the band for you. It’s more for fans of IQ, Comedy Of Errors, Jadis, and It Bites to name a few.
Reviewed by Ron Fuchs on March 15th, 2012
