<signing
einstein>
(JNI)
Not Bad- A solid Listen
They describe themselves as an adult contemporary
cross between Berlin and Pink Floyd, but when I first listened to Algonquin,
Il., band's self-titled CD, I was reminded more of the atmospheric attack of England's
Hooverphonic, Canada's Sound Poets and Tara MacLean or, closer to home,
Champaign-Urbana's The Moon Seven Times, which released a couple of critically
acclaimed ethereally avant albums on Roadrunner Records.
<signing einstein> singer Gina
Gonzalez tops off Joe Nuccio and Vincent Varco's ambient jamming with a
charismatic yet dreamy delivery that insists (gently) to be heard. This is an
act that manages a nice mix between reflective background music and pop-rock.
Look for them to grow beyond their local JNI Record label to national exposure.
But in the meantime, check out this laid-back, professional-sounding disc that
includes the dramatic "Edward Teach," the dreamy guitar ballad
"Heart of Stone," the progressive-rock influenced, dreamily layered
vocal exercise of "The Prey of Nantahala Lake" and the Grey Eye
Glances-esque airy pop gem "Be That As It May."
For fans of delicately layered pop music
spiced with drama, this is a disc not to miss.
For more information, check their Web site
at www.signingeinstein.com, where you can order the CD as well as preview its
selections.
--John Everson
Originally published in The Star Newspapers
September 6, 2001