THE PERILS OF TIME TRAVEL

A release that I didn't even know existed! The Perils of Time Travel is the 2011 debut EP of Crossover Prog maestros Thank You Scientist. One thing that was answered for me is that now, since the start, Salvatore Marrano (vocals) and Tom Monda (guitar) are the core members. It's a tried and true relationship, given their consistent (and consistently good) output since 2012 (again, I didn't know this EP was out there until today).

And what an opening statement this seems to be from the get-go! The EP opens with "Grin". Very familiarly them, the musicianship is on point, it's Hook Central, it's got funk and spunk and a great beat, and it's a greater collective of performers than "the norm". This song also features specifically violin front and center, which is certainly something I love in any Prog subgenre (including Fusion). There's something apparently Eastern in the feel and tone.

More straight-ahead, but with jazzy affectations is "Abandonship" [Oh! I see what you did there!]. Pretty good melodies and some interesting sort of start-stop rhythms throughout. The bass "solo" and the popping drums in the final moments of the song are quite nice. Interesting stuff looking back like this. I feel though that this really is that time period clearly on display.

Up next is the very cool, perhaps East-Euro-influenced "Leave Your Light On". Jazzy and peculiar sort of vibe. I like. Keyboards are light (like a Rhodes) and the track has a great, bouncing beat. Somewhat quietly progressive compared to their material to come (at least the majority is fairly straight), but a phenomenal song nonetheless. Especially in the fourth minute with this beautiful, virtuosic solo from Monda. Wowza! Soaring and all over the fretboard.

Then it's the tongue-in-cheek named "Make Like a Tree (Get Out)". And this features (what I thought was) some really cool mallet percussion (on the front and backend), but I feel like this song is basically more intricate, fully realized/orchestrated Alternative Rock (again, very of the time). Prog comes out a bit (though that Coheed comparison specifically can be made here) by minute 2. Great beat on this one and just a well-constructed song. And then this ending is just sweeeet. Awesome use of reeds over a quirky beat.

Finally, we have "Gemini", which once again feels like a more explicit Coheed and Cambria callback. Great rhythm(s), one of Marrano's strongest, though sweetest vocal performances of the whole. And all of the instrumental layers are really working on this one. And the rhythmic complexity throughout is really ear- catching to me. A lot more metal influence in here, but then with stuff like the delicious sax solo around minute 4 there's this jazzy thing ever present. They really do a great job of melding all of their influences together into a fairly unique and modern take. Best song on the album, I think, and a helluva closer to more than a solid debut release.