Artist: Dirty Vegas

Album: One

Label: Capitol

Tracks: 10

I’m still driving my little VW cabrio around—unlike many of you who a few years back immediately ran out and bought a Mitsubishi after seeing the commercial with the Dirty Vegas song, ‘Days go By’.  Okay, that was dumb.  But anyway, Dirty Vegas became an overnight smash with that song—which was one of my favorite songs (and videos) of the year.

 

I’d heard the single ‘Walk Into the Sun’ off of ‘One’ before hearing the entire album.  I was surprised to hear such a change in music style, but overall I thought it was a pretty decent pop song.  When I heard the entire album, it was like hearing that single 10 times over.  I’ve listened to this album in its entirety dozens of times now.  I still don’t really know how I feel about it.

 

Dirty Vegas has morphed into a totally different band.  Gone are the keyboards and programmed drums. While they continue to have that mellow feel, the mellow now turns into lackluster.  This entire album would fit nicely into any smooth pop radio station programming.  I really enjoyed listening to the first few songs, until all of them morphed into one long 49 minute 9 second early 90’s sounding adult pop song – think early 90’s new wave…90’s and beyond Duran Duran, or Savage Garden without the cheese.  Melodically the songs are great.  Lyrically, the album is solid.  While I enjoyed Steve Smith’s somber, stoic vocals on the S/T, they don’t work with the new style.  He has a nice voice, but he’s so much better when he’s singing in a lower range, and when the vocals are tucked more nicely into the mix.

 

Rhythm which was so much more prominent in the last album seems to be their edge, and now that edge is gone.

 

Individually, there are some pretty good songs on the album.  However, the album in its entirety is unfortunately bland and ordinary. It won’t make you want to dance—nor will it make you want to go out and buy a Mitsubishi.