“Terraformer” – Thank You Scientist
9.4/10 | Progressive Rock
Albums are in an interesting place right now. More and more bands are eschewing the format entirely while others still are releasing bloated projects stuffed with filler tracks to draw out their run time to unnecessary lengths. Look no further than Thank You Scientist’s Terraformer, which clocks in at 84 minutes. How could you possibly fill that amount of time with exceptional songwriting, some of the best musicianship one can find, and a shocking variety of styles that both keeps the listener invested and proves yourself as one of the premier bands around. A Herculean task like that would be impossible, right?
By now it’s pretty common knowledge that Terraformer is a special album that does this impossible. Receiving praise far and wide, it’s a truly remarkable work that crosses a universe of sounds. From prog rock bordering on metal to jazz fusion to hints of electronica, the New Jersey band are consistently remarkable over the mental duration of their third LP. This is not an album you listen to, it is a flood that sweeps you away and drowns you in quality. Or, using the astrological theme that seems ever-prevalent in prog, it is a galaxy that you float through, seeing boundless beauty all around you yet knowing that you only see a small fraction of what’s there. It is not possible to hear every single detail at once due to the abilities of each member and writing which fully takes advantage of the sheer wealth of talent available. Basically, listen to this album multiple times because it will only get better the more you hear it.
So the big question is, how can Thank You Scientist display this much musical talent and be anything but pretentious? While everyone places this line at a different point, the only song that actually fires past all the others and lands close to it is the 10 minute instrumental “Chromology” and I must admit that it’s as daunting as it sounds. Even still, it stays within the realm of reason thanks to the true defining factors of the band: passion and a willingness to have fun. It is so clear to the listener that the septet is enjoying what they do and there are enough lighthearted moments to prevent alienation. The lead single “FXMLDR” is about a character from X-Files after all. This song also provides a good example for the other talent that keeps this monumental project grounded. Thank You Scientist knows how to write a good hook. For some reason, the more music I listen to, the more convinced I am that the best choruses are found in prog rock. I think a big part of this is that the bands are more willing to experiment and thus create far more unique offerings while also being able to pair it with the perfect musical swell. Whatever the justification, Terraformer has enough examples to provide more evidence for this idea.
At its frankly absurd length, Thank You Scientist’s Terraformer shouldn’t be as good as it is. Despite this, it’s one of the few albums so far this year to make the jump from extremely good to downright exceptional.
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