A Party Band Lacking Soul On Record
The Bellagios seemed like a band I would like, but after listening to them, I realised that I didn't like them at all, and I usually like dub. I listened to Sublime and Long Beach Dub All Stars every day in high school, but the Bellagios lack whatever it is that makes dub infectiously fun. I listened to these three songs a lot, trying (with little success) to figure out what irked me about them, and I think I've come up with it: they believe in themselves too much. There's no sense of play, no self-patronisation, so it just feels too serious, but it's too eclectic to be so serious.
If a band is going to fuse reggae/funk/rock/dance/latin with hip hop, then they better sing about robots and gay ninjas with pet monkeys, and the Bellagios don't. Their songs focus on: a) the hip hop pattern of repeating their own name endlessly and calling it a song, and b) singing about how much fun they are. Blargh.
The Bellagios are known as a party band, so their live shows are famous for being good times, but that doesn't mean anyone wants to listen to their album. The production and sound quality are fine, but the songs lack soul. This band needs to focus on their songwriting, rather than their personas. Tell a story about something private. It doesn't have to be something personally private, just something that isn't available to everyone, and so, by writing it, you make life more understandable. We've been offered a window to someone's misery or joy or, perhaps just their nonchalance. Either way, embrace your eccentricity, and make some brave music. As is, you're just a boring dub/rap band that's too scared to be uncommercial, but too eclectic to be commercial. Be weird! You know you want to!