Thank You Scientist
Stranger Heads Prevail

Let's start with a question.

What genre do the "Thank You Scientist" play?

The answer could be "who knows" or "all of them".

Let's say that in the band of frontman Salvatore Marrano (vocals), who is not Italian, there's a lot of technique, a lot of music, all well seasoned, a bit like making a "mare e monti" (surf and turf), adding some fruit and not jarring the palate, creating unexpected marvel.

Four years after "Maps of Non-Existent Places", already reviewed (not by me, but by Blasquiz) on DeBaser, comes 2016's "Stranger Heads Prevail" which, if I really must, I could categorize as prog rock, but since I don't have to, I won't. Simple.

The style of this band, however, is not simple in this album, which has renewed its members here and there (Cody McCorry replacing Greg Colacino and Ben Karas substituting Russ Lynch) and during the recording phase, added even more to give greater creativity and sound impact.

The musical exploration begins with "Prologue: a faint applause". Marrano's voice is given much prominence, with vocal polyphony à la Beatles (or, exaggerating, like Queen) in the opening, brisk rhythm, piano lyricism, string arrangements, and in two minutes you get an idea of the band…

No, absolutely not. In "The Somnambulist" the horns open the taps and out pours the powerful electric of Tom Monda (electric guitar, acoustic guitar, shamisen, sitar, vocals) and we are absolutely in an alt rock where the brass section Ellis Jasenovic (tenor sax) and Andrew Digrius (trumpet and flugelhorn) provide the musical backdrop of the keyboards enriching it with a certain baroque note, while the guitar and drums (also double pedal) of Alvarez give a sweeping impulse. If it weren't for Marrano's extremely clean vocals, we could easily be in a "Queens of the Stone Age" track.

In "Caverns" we perceive an excellent rhythmic interaction between the aforementioned Odin Alvarez and the new bassist (also theremin and musical saw) Cody McCorry, who don't miss a beat on sudden stops and go's and tempo changes favoring the brass section and the violin of Ben Karas (violin, viola, 5-string electric violin) and Monda's solos, always varied and creative.

"Mr. Invisible" has a funky approach, until the flexible voice of Marrano enters the scene, which seems to have transformed for a few minutes into Bruno Mars (vocally speaking, because physically he is a big man, white, with a beard and glasses). The track continues with the same opening until Jasenovic's solo and the conclusive back-and-forth between trumpet and electric guitar.

Mention for "Blue Automatic", the first single of the album, easily traceable, which is probably the most listenable track by the masses, that contrasts with the most colorful and complex track of the album, without vocals, a full-round musical manifesto, right from the title: "Rube Goldberg Variation".

Paraphrasing the 30 Bach variations, there are 8'53" in which one must let oneself be carried away by the spiritual guide of the adventurous drums accompanying the other instruments, just as Virgil does in the Divine Comedy. Different styles (rock, Latin, funk, jazz, ambient), the soundscapes change, the solos are magical moments in which you progressively get to know the performers; the story shifts, the background changes, at times it's slow, foggy, in other moments frenetic, almost overwhelmed by an unexpected time-lapse. Magister Musicae for these New Jersey lads.

The last two songs, namely "Psychopomp" and "The Amateur Arsonist’s Handbook" are definitely full and robust in terms of progression and interventions, painstakingly composed and executed.

Eleven tracks overall, for over an hour of music (perhaps a bit too much), but in conclusion, I have to say it's still a very interesting septet, despite the substitutions, but it hasn't shifted into a higher gear compared to the debut album (exception for "Rube Goldberg Variation"). I wander in uncertainty about Marrano's voice which sometimes convinces me 100%, other times it seems excessive compared to the musical quality already weaving under his voice, it comes across as an attempt to try to stand out at all costs as the "character of the moment" lying in front of everyone in group photos.

A face and sound definitely different that should be listened to and possibly appreciated, to one's personal taste. There is no music for everyone.