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Echobrain
Echobrain
label: Hollywood Records
released: 03.05.02
our score: 4.0 out of 5.0
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Warning! Warning!
This is a warning for all the Heavy Metal fans who thought Jason
Newsted’s new band Echobrain would carry the sound of his
former mates Metallica; you should stop yourself from running
to the record stores immediately. No, you won’t find any
hard-hitting odes to war-torn invalids or sleepless bogeyman.
What you will find is an innovative new turn for the hard rocker
with his new friends, more reminiscent of early 90’s alternative
rock (Jesus and Mary Chain, SoupDragons, and early Soundgarden)
than anything he has done before.
With Echobrain, Newsted has avoided the shameful
and lazy path previously taken by so many rockers who fled successful
bands, merely re-producing the same sound under a different name
(I am thinking Perry Farrell and Tommy Lee here). Apparently when
Newsted said he was leaving Metallica for artistic reasons, he
meant it. Teaming up with newcomer Brian Sagrafena on drums, and
long-time friend Dylan Donkin on guitar/vocals, the seasoned bassist
has found new direction.
The trio’s self-titled debut album is a
solid collection of swift and catchy rock songs, sprinkled with
a touch of alternative and blues-rock. The album quickly sets
the mood with its first track “Colder World”, a ballad
about the harsh realities of moving through life on your own (an
artist’s favorite topic). Fortunately, the punchy guitar
and vocals save it from becoming too dark and broodish.
The beginning tracks continue the album’s
strength with “Feeling is Over”, a deeply layered
piece complete with a wavy, space-jam melody resembling Bowie’s
“Space Oddity”. The band quickly shows their flexibility
with “Spoonfed”, whose slow pace and tempered lyrics
allow Newsted and Donkin to flex their muscles on bass and guitar
respectively.
The album
is not without its faults, however. Tracks like “Adrift”
(which ends with some sort of overture one can only assume was
recorded by a local community orchestra), and “We are ghosts”,
are thin, empty shells of work reflective of the band’s
grasping for material. In a failed effort to be innovative, that
comes off as too cute for its own good, every song begins or ends
with a studio engineered pan flute, orchestra, or computer generate
life-imitating sound.
Still, as
with all well arranged albums, Echobrain follows weak tracks with
redeeming pieces. Songs like “Keep Me Alive”, and
the traveling theme “HWY 44”, which pays homage to
the blues roots of rock ‘n roll, keep the album moving along
with style.
Despite its
few faults Echobrain is a deeply layered, innovative, and interesting
album that delivers a rich musical experience, and promises more
good to come from this trio. And kudos to Jason Newsted for saying
he was looking for a new artistic direction and following through!
04-Aug-2002
9:33 AM
If you
liked Echobrain...
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Tracklist:
1.
Colder World
2. The Feeling Is Over
3. Spoonfed
4. Adrift
5. Keep Me Alive
6. We Are Ghosts
7. SuckerPunch
8. Highway 44
9. I Drank You
10. Cryin' Shame
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