Dios (Malos) – S/T / 2005 Star Time / 12 Tracks / http://www.diosmalos.com / http://www.startimeintl.com / Reviewed 24 November 2005

The inclusion of sleigh bells on “Say Anything” gives the track a holiday feeling, even if the contemplative style of the vocals does not really owe much to the frantic holiday spirit. At times sounding like the vocals are just going to fade into oblivion, “Say Anything” really gives the instrumental side of the band time to shine. Continuing the same twinkling type of sound with “I Want It All”, Dios (Malos) sounds like they are following in the footsteps of early Everclear or (very early) Flaming Lips. Finally coming into a sound that is radio friendly, the clap and stomp of “So Do I” even calls forth the vaguest hint of The Beatles.

There is not quite the episodic sound that plagues other acts’ discs; each song by Dios (Malos) builds on the tracks that immediately preceded it and act as building blocks for the tracks that follow it. The tracks are more than a little ambitious; with songs like “Epk” blasting by the five-minute mark without much in the way of problem, the band really tries their hardest to keep interest high. The band takes a sharp turn during “Tokyo Sunrise”, incorporating into their generally dreamy type of pop a heavy does of Californian, sulf/pop type of rock. “Grrrl…” is a track that rapidly resists any sort of categorization; enough different influences are readily audible in the track that something new is created from this patchwork. At over fifty minutes, this album is much more along the lines of a short film than a typical album; different styles play the roles while each track acts more like a distinct section of the movie.

The harder-rock of a track like “I Feel Fine All The Time” has a fifties, Americana type of sound to it while the piano plays the perfect antagonistic role. By far the longest track on the disc, “My Broken Bones” seems to take the band into a Neil Young meets Counting Crows type of sound; while the track seems to meander at points the band really pulls it together at the end. The tale that “My Broken Bones” tells through the singer’s use of alcohol and marijuana is poignant; the arrangements push the track even further into the collective memory. The trip that Dios (Malos) takes their listeners to is well worth the price of admission; the replay value is fantastic and the music never boring.

Top Tracks: Later Skater, Epk

Rating: 5.7/10

[JMcQ]