Dirty Vegas: Steve Smith (vocals, acoustic guitar); Paul Harris , Ben Harris (guitar, keyboards).
Recording information: Ben's Kitchen, London, Enlgand.
ONE is Dirty Vegas's follow-up to their successful debut, which sold well on the basis of the hit single "Days Go By." But Steve Smith, Ben Harris, and Paul Harris have taken a step away from the dance-pop of their first album, moving instead in the direction of guitar-based, radio-friendly pop. Like many of their contemporaries in the mid-2000s, Dirty Vegas worship at the altar of breezy 1980s synth-pop, but ONE bears not a trace of the detached, arty feel of many post-punk-revival bands.
Instead, songs like "Roses" and "Home Again" are quite traditional, building on smooth, accessible melodic passages and themes of love and longing in a way that fits Dirty Vegas for adult-contemporary radio. Though Dirty Vegas is largely considered an electronic act, the programming on ONE takes a back seat to Smith, Harris, and Harris's heartfelt songwriting, and, while there are plenty of synthesizers and stylish production flourishes, the album falls firmly in the camp of light, mainstream pop.
