Pattern-Seeking Animals
Pattern-Seeking Animals

THE REVIEW

A side-project entirely from the Spock's Beard school. Pattern-Seeking Animals are composed of four personalities revolving around the magnificent American prog band. Singer and guitarist Ted Leonard joined Spock's Beard after Nick D'Virgilio's departure in 2011, while bassist Dave Meros has been with the band since their first album; the two current members reconnect here with drummer Jimmy Keegan, who left the band in 2016 after being a tour member starting in 2002 and a full member from 2011; and then we have John Boegehold on keyboards, who has never been part of the band but collaborates as a co-writer since 2003.

A project that emphasizes one particular aspect, the melodic one, certainly not neglected by the parent band but here it is explored and brought to the forefront. In truth, Spock's Beard had already taken a melodic turn with their 2018 album "Noise Floor," so it could be said that this project represents a continuation of that discussion, albeit freeing itself from the more classic prog component that always abounds in Spock's Beard, thus seeking a more personal path.

The tracks appear simple, rather linear and smooth, the quest for complexity and sophistication is not the prerogative of this interesting side-project; the songs often have the spontaneity and lightness of refined pop-rock, it's no coincidence that the best is expressed in shorter durations, whereas when pushing towards 9-10 minutes the result seems scattered and the songs artificially extended. An approach that might remind one of Flying Colors but stylistically less varied.

No instrument appears as the true protagonist, all contribute to creating a fresh, sunny, and summery atmosphere (the choice to release the album in July proves to be quite apt) but none seeks to impose itself, indeed, all disappear into the sonic fabric, especially the guitars, so clean and delicate as to become almost imperceptible; not even Meros's metallic picks on the bass (typical of his style) make too much noise. On the other hand, the keyboard work of John Boegehold deserves a dedicated discussion because it's precisely the thing that sparked the fire in me; here we witness the triumph of the synth in a melodic key, a precise slap in the face to those who think that using synthesized sounds and the like is just a gimmick to appear soulless avant-gardists; solos and passages with a sour sound, effects that evoke flashes of bright and crystalline light, liquid splashes as if from a water gun, electronic shards that prick the sonic fabric without wounding it, even a sort of vaguely '80s electric piano rocking like the water of a calm sea in the final track, it's truly incredible the variety of sounds and effects used, a genuine slap to those keyboardists who think they've exhausted their style by adopting the usual sounds and solutions; yet this variety never translates into excesses and showiness, everything serves the melodic setting of the album and even the sharpest of sounds does not compromise the lightness of the compositions. There are organ and mellotron sounds, too, but they are certainly not intended to create a vintage atmosphere; they are integrated into the modern context without ever really recalling the past. There is even room for orchestral arrangements, but they are never particularly pompous, merely caressing the sound patterns like a cool summer breeze. Boegehold himself occasionally intervenes with a mandolin, and even this merges into the sonic fabric without being too noticeable and never turns into a foray into folk, which is rather easy with this instrument, especially in a very melodic context.

Basically, if there were to be a hypothetical battle between musicians, no one would truly emerge as the winner except the band considered as a single, cohesive entity; no individualism, just great teamwork that really appears as such. If a winner had to be indicated, it would be Ted Leonard, a vocalist I never forget to mention among my favorites; I particularly appreciated him as the vocalist of Enchant because he was particularly suited to that group's melancholic tones, and I welcomed his arrival in Spock's Beard with enthusiasm where, although he always sings excellently, he doesn't truly express himself to the fullest on a melodic level; this project, instead, seems tailor-made for him, here the songs seem written precisely to enhance the melodic and ringing aspect of his voice, especially on "No Land's Man."

A truly brilliant work, with an exceptional quest for sounds and impeccable production. While it may not be the best release of 2019, it is certainly the most surprising, the one from which no one expected a real fireworks display. The release of the second album is now imminent, just 10 months after this first work, a very short span for today's times, reminiscent of the 1970s music industry, when bands produced almost continuously, releasing virtually an album every year if not even two. Material probably already in the works for some time, this time promises to be a seriously more prog album, composed of few but elaborate tracks, the prog formula par excellence; the prevalence of long tracks is somewhat worrying because here precisely the long tracks represent the weak point, but the band members have all the experience to create something magnificent, and if the structures are not the utmost but the melodies are these, then there will be nothing to complain about.