Dirty Vegas

An Electronic Mosaic
by: tom reiter

A mosaic is a work of art created by setting small colored pieces such as tile or glass into a surface. It is commonly held together by grout, glue, or some other material. The collaboration of Paul Harris, Ben Harris, and Steve Smith as Dirty Vegas has brought together the necessary components to create one beautiful, musical mosaic.

The album is centered around the vocals, folk-based lyrics and accoustic guitar of Steve Smith. Ben and Paul bring production, keyboard, and additional guitar skills. The instrumentals, however, are somewhat lackluster, mearly filling in the cracks to hold the pieces together. Airy techno/trance and disco-esque keyboards never overwhelm or take the attention way from the vocals, which are nothing short of superb. But they are nothing new and intriguing, either.

While "Days Go By" has risen to quick popularity (via another car commercial, surprise, surprise), it is but one piece of the mosaic on the group's self-titled album, Dirty Vegas. Another track that fits the same "color" is "Lost Not Found," which is sure to see success in clubs. Featuring a four-four beat and soft, subtle vocals, it is one of the album's sexier tracks.

Other "pieces" include downbeat, folk-induced tracks like "Candles" and "Simple Things," which reminds us "it's the simple things that make you smile" and even features Dirty Vegas' own rendition of Pink Floyd's "Another Brick In The Wall, Pt 2." Dirty Vegas also includes a little gem, a short accoustical version of "Days Go By," as a hidden track at the end of the album.

When all the essential parts are pulled together, Dirty Vegas is a complete package, a piece of art that can be studied and listened to over and over without ever becoming tired of it. 08-Jul-2002 10:00 PM