Einstein’s Dream | Sounds at the Speed of Thought

There sure are lots of bands around here. Waynesville, Cullowhee, Sylva and Cherokee play host to an interesting variety of musicians, ranging from traditional bluegrass noodlers to angst-ridden metallic slammers. There’s a surprising lack of sensitive singer/songwriter acoustic types, but not to worry — I think they all got together in a herd and migrated to Asheville for the duration. Or the decade.

Whatever.

Comprising part of this variety is Einstein’s Dream. These guys fall into the forward thinking progressive rock/borderline metal area, and Sounds at the Speed of Thought delivers the intricate arrangements and rather heady lyrical content that befit the style. Though recorded at the Acoustic Music Room, this is a starkly non-acoustic album. The production is clear and the playing is tight, with very few overdubs and layers. It would seem that the goal of this recording is to represent a very live and uncluttered portrayal of the band, and for the most part it works.

Vocalist and guitarist Jared Hooker’s approach displays an obvious debt to Nick Hexum from 311 — this is not a bad thing, just an observation. The strongly “scalar” motion of the vocal melodies and the range of his voice fall into Hexum territory, as does the tone and riffing of the guitars. However, the band wisely sidesteps the temptation to do the metal-funk-rap-dub thing that 311 specialize in, instead going a more European, melodramatic direction.

It’s probably my age showing, but I’d swear Mr. Hooker spent some time with a few Queensryche and Fate’s Warning CD’s as well as the more modern prog of Dream Theater, Tool and Muse.

The album opens with “Delta Lambda,” and if the song’s title didn’t give away their intentions as a prog rock act, then the arrangement and lockstep riffing will. It’s hard to find fault with the band’s playing. There’s no doubt they’re well rehearsed, have the chops and know what they’re going for. But some songs, and especially the melodies, tend to get a little lost within themselves. This leaves the listener (OK, me) with very little to take away on a personal, memorable level. It’s as if everything fits perfectly, but an ingredient keeps getting left out.

The thing is (and there’s always got to be a “thing”) that many of the tunes don’t vary too much from the template set up by first track. This isn’t to say the album doesn’t have its shining moments. Jared Hooker turns in several positively blazing solos, showing a penchant for quirky chromaticism and respect for the art of arrangement in the guitar solo — he sounds like he thinks them out quite carefully. The main riff in “The Expendable One,”-well it just rocks, and shows that when these guys find a real groove, they nail it.

“Reminisce” is a shorter major key ditty that’s a welcome change in feel, and again calls to mind 311’s ability to sound happy and still rock. “Sleep Again” has a crafty Beatles with guitars set on stun chorus progression that hints at some classic pop listening on the part of the songwriter.

The teeny-tiny print of the liner notes reminds me that I really do need to buy those glasses, but otherwise the packaging looks great, and makes you want to pick up the CD and take a look. It may seem like a small thing, but how to market and package your product is a place where many bands screw up.

Musically there’s a lot to like about Einstein’s Dream. If you’re a fan of the other bands mentioned earlier in this review, sounds at the speed of thought is well worth seeking out. As they grow as a band in the studio, more of the texture that’s sometimes missing will likely start showing up. Embracing more dynamics, some acoustic layers, varying the guitar tones (don’t be afraid of that bridge pickup, buddy!) and some harmony vocals could help these fellas crank out a positively mind blowing second album. For now, Sounds at the Speed of Thought serves as a great introduction to a young band with plenty to offer, and potential galore. 3.34679 stars, exactly.

Chris Cooper is a Sylva-based guitarist and In Your Ear guru also known to have an affinity for Leo Kottke and the comic strip Get Fuzzy. Write to him at thumbpick43@yahoo.com.