Star Time
2005
Dios (Malos)
About This Album
Thanks to Ronnie James Dio's insistence that Dios change their name to Dios (Malos), the California-based indie rockers get to have two self-titled debut albums. Technically, of course, Dios (Malos) (note how the unwanted appendage to their name is stuffed into parentheses) is the band's sophomore full-length, but it feels and sounds different enough from Dios that it might as well be a second first album. Though the subject matter -- girls, introspection, drugs, girls -- the band covers is largely the same on both albums, how they approach it on Dios (Malos) makes all the difference. With help from producer Phil Ek, Dios (Malos) emphasize their way with hooks and downplay the hazy sonics of Dios for an album of sunny, instead of smoggy, Californian pop. The change takes some getting used to, and the late-night charm of the first album is undeniably missed, but Dios (Malos) shows that the band can in fact pull off a much brighter, more playful sound. In fact, many of the brightest, most playful moments also end up being the album's best. Ek's clean, direct production is the perfect foil for lively, tightly written songs like "Grrrl," "I Want It All," and "Feels Good Being Somebody," which is downright power poppy.
Track List (try tracks 1,3,5,9 and 10)

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