One

by

Dirty Vegas

Edit

As i read over many of the reviews for "One" I was wondering if I would like this album at all. Personally, I enjoyed the electronica feel of the debut. Fortunately, the reviewers were not totally correct about the album. This album does refer back to its electronica predesessor if not only through hints. To say that none of these songs could make it to the dance floor scene is actually also a bit off. "A Million Ways" is quite danceable with a very upbeat array of drums and keyboards. There are some nice songs on here as well... "In This Life", while seemingly upbeat also offers some touching lyrics. "Walking Into The Sun" sounds familiar to me, but decent just the same. Steve Smith, who provides the lead vocals, is not a power belter of a singer but his voice suffices on this collection of songs. Surprisingly, it provides a soothing effect. "One" isn't a great album, but it is a good one. Hopefully, these artists will get their due and keep on making music.

Following a huge dance smash (2002's "Days Go By") and a Top Ten debut album, Dirty Vegas finally returns. With little fanfare they release their second disc, "One," which abandons their club/disco roots in favor of mild adult contemporary pop. But in pursuit of musical maturity, Dirty Vegas has lost much of its edge and the promise it had on its superior debut. If the inoffesnive blandness of, say, Savage Garden is your type of groove, then this CD is right up your alley. Steve Smith sings without much in the way of emotion, and much of the songwriting comes off as flat and trite. The sole track bearing anything smacking of inspiration is "In This Life," an acoustic-electro mid tempo number that'll probably sound great at your local cafe. But the rest of the CD comes up way short. Hence the title, "One" gets one star.