Pattern-Seeking Animals self-titled album

Pattern-Seeking Animals' 2019 self-titled debut album, "Pattern-Seeking Animals," is a powerful melodic progressive rock debut that immediately showcases masterful songwriting, top-notch performances, and a complexity yet accessible appeal that will appeal to fans of  Spock's Beard and other melodic prog-rock artists.

While retaining the sonic hallmarks of its members' roots, the album has a distinct character that undoubtedly holds up well, and as we'll see in their future discography, it manages to improve in overall accessibility.

This is splendid melodic progressive rock: sophisticated compositions with exceptional, complex, and catchy melodies. Vocals and guitar are by Ted Leonard, whose dynamic voice and superb guitar work are perfectly at home in this context.

John Boegehold wrote and co-wrote the keyboards, producing complex yet accessible compositions. He also did a great job with the synthesizers, which enrich the album's atmosphere. The precision and intensity are incredible. This is an album that absolutely must be heard.

This album has no weak or repetitive tracks, and is packed with great riffs and splendid variations on a theme. The vocals amazed me, they're beautiful, and the keyboards and rhythm section are superb, and we'll find them at the same level on future albums, too.

My favorite tracks are "We Write Ghost Stories," "No One Ever Died and Made Me King," "Orphans of the Universe," and "These Are My Things."

The production is excellent, meticulous in enhancing the vocal harmonies and orchestral arrangements.

The artwork is beautiful, with animals depicted on a starry night, searching for paths, literally among the stars. Among the many wild animals, our most common friends appear, a dog and a cat absorbed in gazing at a blue sky with splendid clouds, over a field of poppies. Wonderful.

An absolute must-have, their best album until Friend of All Creatures arrived in 2025, which, in my opinion, barely rivals this one.

The Tracks

1. No Burden Left to Carry (9:39)
2. The Same Mistakes Again (5:10)
3. Orphans of the Universe (10:29)
4. No One Ever Died and Made Me King (3:55)
5. Fall Away (4:47)
6. These Are My Things (4:54)
7. We Write the Ghost Stories (3:24)
8. No Land's Man (5:40)
9. Stars Along the Way (10:21)
Running Time 58:19

Line-Up

- Ted Leonard - vocals, guitars
- John Boegehold - synthesizers, programming, guitar, mandolin
- Jimmy Keegan - drums, vocals
- Dave Meros - bass