THE VILLAS
Set For Life (Think Tank Records)
Reviewed by Shaun Dale

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When the news came my way that Bill and Angie Villa had finally put together the followup to their excellent debut, Secrets, I got pretty excited. While I waited for it to arrive, the inevitable second thoughts crept in. It had been three years. Would they mess with success? Had they caught some new trend and abandoned their wonderfully crafted pop formula? Could lightning strike twice?

Well, they're not the same group they were three years ago. They're better. Sure, Bill Villa is still writing tight pop nuggets filtered through a grown-up sensibility, Angie Villa is still cranking out some of the sweetest solo guitar in pop music, and the arrangements still make the best possible use of every second of every tune, but as good as they always were, they do more than exceed my expectations this time. They fulfill my hopes with an album that puts them in my personal pop pantheon beside luminaries like Brian Wilson, Elvis Costello and the Rubinoos. They are, in fact, that good.

This is one of those albums that puts a great big smile on your face and sends you in search of your car keys so you can crank up the stereo and entertain the world. You'll probably want a convertible and a new home in a permanently sunny spot to go with this one, but even a grey day is gonna seem like perfect beach weather when this one is on.

Track List:

Way To Go * Personal Property * Tell Me Everything You Know * Center Of The Universe * Toppers * You Know Better * Dreamland * Now It Can Be Told * To Be In Love * Savoy Truffles * Exclusions * More Than I Can Do * I'll Have You Know * Quest Of Fools

© 2003 - Shaun Dale