Sometimes these reviews are easier to write than others. It doesn’t happen often but, sometimes a band or album just sort of clicks and the next thing you know, you’ve spun through the CD twice in your first sitting alone. By then, you’ve got at least half your article written in your head. The rest, well, it’s really just bull thrown in to fill space but you didn’t hear that from me.
Vast’s first release in four years, the first under new label 456 Entertainment, Nude is one of those albums that just clicks. And while the name might indicate a more “stripped down” sound for Mr. Crosby and Co., the Vast of today is slicker, hipper, and quite simply music to make love to. But, I’m getting ahead of myself.
Once again, Jon Crosby is running the show along with a number of supporting musicians including Vast veteran Thomas Froggatt who handled bass on 2000’s Music for People. On Nude, Crosby merges Vast’s two previous efforts, 1998’s Visual Audio Sensory Theater and Music for People by taking the most aurally pleasing aspects of both and presenting them as a cohesive whole. Where Music for People suffered from relatively thin production values and a couple of lackluster songs, Nude shines with confidence behind the boards as well as the instruments. Every one of them is well represented in the mix. The bass is thick and meaty, the drums pound when they need to, are subtle when they don’t and there’s just enough electronics mixed in with live instruments to give this album a cool and sexy vibe.
And where V.A.S.T. was a bit of a difficult, avant-garde affair, Nude is without a doubt the most easily accessible so far. Right from track one, “Turquoise” is a rock and roll giant, a tune destined to be played on stage with a big honking sound system, strobe lights and a fan just off stage to give the band that “wind swept” look. Hey, I have a vivid imagination. Just listen to it and you’ll understand.
Conversely, songs like “Don’t Take Your Love Away” and “Lost” are just dead sexy pieces of music. With slick sampling, a little sax and
Crosby
’s vocals these songs, especially “Lost”, truly live up to the albums name, like the soundtrack to a sweaty evening between the sheets. Again, you just got to listen to it.
The whole album really is a treat for the ears, down to the bare bones guitar and voice closer “
Desert
Garden
”. However, as is the case with any album that hooks fast and furious, said album might be destined to fall out of favor pretty quickly. It’s only been a couple days since I first listened to it and I must have spun it at least ten times. Overexposure can kill. Remember when American Idol seemed like a fresh concept? Neither do I.
Still, I’m not ready to put this CD down yet. Even now, I’ve got “Japanese Fantasy” playing over and over in my head and I’m trying to hurry this up so I can go get Nude again. It really is a liberating experience.
Track Listing:
Turquoise / Thrown Away / Don't Take Your Love Away / Be With Me / Lost / Winter In My Heart / I Need To Say Goodbye / Japanese Fantasy / Ecstasy / Candle / I Can't Say No (To You) / Desert Garden.
Vast:
Jon Crosby - Vocals / Guitar / Keyboards / Bass / Programming
Dan Myers - Alto Sax
Norm Block, Has, Chuck Treese, Charlie Benante, Dave Allen- Drums
Thomas Froggatt - Bass Guitar
And Other Artists.
