A dios (malos) amigos
Two years on from the release of their critically acclaimed eponymous debut album, Dios (Malos) return with an addition to their name (courtesy of a law suit from metal legend Ronnie James Dio) and this rather luscious slice of slacker indie pop. Shins/Built To Spill producer Phil Ek works wonders again here as in just under three minutes Dios (Malos) stake a very early claim for feel good hit of the Summer.
"I Want It All" shakes off the erroneous Beach Boys comparisons of yore (although both hail from Hawthorne, California) and firmly establishs the band as the rightful heirs to Grandaddy's legacy. The guitars sparkle with a West Coast sheen and the overwhelming air of optimism is tangible from Joel Morales' woozy but assured vocal performance. The band proclaim in their biography that album number two is "100 times better" than their debut. While this may be something of an exaggeration "I Want It All" definitely suggests a marked improvement on their already high standard of songwriting.