Signing Einstein (JNI)
Chicago's Signing Einstein exudes an essence of mystery with an airy blend of dark synth pop and rich vocals courtesy of Gina Gonzalez. It's a recipe that can conjure images of anything from Project Records artists like Love Spirals Downward to a Goth-gone Yanni. Songs like "Heart Beating" present gently laced piano swabs that come across like cloud feathers created with a paint brush, and Pink Floyd-inspired keyboard quirks. The country-fringed, ode-to-love "Be That as it May" could easily compete with, and perhaps beat, any AOR song on the charts. However, the band still has to pry itself from a formula that, albeit polished and pretty, at times lack the punch that turns good songs into great ones, such as the opening "Edward Teach" and "Hit me Like a Train." While the better songs are very good, the average songs are just that, which on its own makes them sink a little lower in a sea of gems. --- Omar Perez
Altarnative.com October 2001