dios (malos) dios (malos)

[Startime International; 2005]

Rating: 1/5

Styles: pop-rock, mid-90s alternative
Others: you know, whatever


dios (malos) is a strange name for a band who plays forgettable, feel-good pop/rock. I was expecting metal, maybe some sort of brainy rock. Instead, dios (malos) are just another boring rock-pop band. I hear they used to just go by "Dios" and played marginally more interesting music. Apparently they're on one of those The O.C. compilations. And they got Phil Ek (Shins, Modest Mouse, Built to Spill). The band's press writers would have us believe they sound like early Beck, Radiohead, or "the Shins right before Garden State," whatever that means. They sound like the band of nice dudes who like to mention smoking weed in their songs to enthusiastic cheers from the audiences. But wait: maybe they're just singing about regular cigarettes sometimes -- they drop Virginia Slims in "So Do I." The first song of dios (malos), "Feels Good Being Somebody", steals the melody line from Fountains of Wayne's "Denise," but somehow dios (malos) manage to write lyrics that out-moronify even FoW, who at least sound like they know better. Shimmery, bombastic, wailing choruses. And it's always about booze and drugs: "Alcohol leave me cold/ Mary Jane take me home," they intone on "EPK." There's nothing inherently wrong about writing songs about enjoying booze and drugs, but this isn't something I'd put on under the influence of either. Just imagine what it sounds like sober.

1. Feels Good Being Somebody
2. Say Anything
3. I Want it All
4. So Do I
5. EPK
6. Tokyo Sunrise
7. Grrrl
8. No Dance Now
9. I Feel Fine All the Time
10. My Broken Bones
11. Goin' Home
12. I'm Only Daydreaming