Dancing For The Girl

Like fellow jokesters Bluejuice, The Vaudeville Smash is an outfit best devoured in small chunks.

While the band’s ability to churn out brilliantly catchy singles is unquestionable, their ’80s-inspired vibe can slightly outstay its welcome when it strides past the half-hour mark.

Still, Dancing For The Girl – the band first fully-fledged LP – possesses some handsome singles, most of which are front-stacked at the beginning of the record.

The title track is exceptional. Cruising with verses that would make the late John Hughes smile, it blends into a chorus punctuated by warm progressions and frontman Marc Lucchesi’s spot-on falsetto. ‘Devil Said’ – a track reminiscent of Joe Jackson’s late 80s period – and LP opener ‘Ghouls’ amp up the band’s frenzied rhythm, while ‘Don’t Say A Word’ is also a standout.

As a whole, there’s not a bad track, even mellower cuts like ‘Diamonds’ hold their own. It’s just that at over 45 minutes, it’s a bit like devouring a big bowl of gnocchi – amazing at first but a touch bloating toward the end.

Also, some tracks – such as ‘Sailor Moon’ and ‘Strangest Dream’ – fall a touch flat compared to the band’s usual delivery.

Perhaps most exciting about Dancing For The Girl is that it gives fans a rowdy taste of what to expect for Vaudeville Smash’s frenetic upcoming live shows. That fact alone – as well as a number of ‘dance-around-the-kitchen’ singles – makes the LP more than worth the spin.

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