In Brief

Depending on how closely you like the progeny to resemble the parent, the third album by this Midwestern quintet comes off as either a tepid Sorta New Wave or a sparkling nugget with a Costello/Squeeze vibe. As songwriters and harmonizers, Bill Douglas and Kerry Tucker (who perform Friday at the Gig West L.A.) ooze sincerity and yearning. The foot-tapping “This Won’t Be Home Someday” and the hooky “Dandelion Heart” might even sound better on a crackling AM radio, but a ballad, “Something True,” reveals the key element in Einstein’s formula--lush melodies.

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Albums are rated on a scale of one star (poor), two stars (fair), three stars (good) and four stars (excellent). The albums are already released unless otherwise noted.