Album Review: Vaudeville - Smash Dancing For The Girl

Just from its name, Vaudeville Smash's album Dancing For The Girl calls to mind the Deniece Williams track Let's Hear It For The Boy from the Footloose soundtrack. The band take their name from an Italian karaoke machine that was around in the '80s, which makes perfect sense upon the realisation that the three brothers in Vaudeville Smash – Marc, Dan and Luca Lucchesi – grew up in a house with walls that often reverberated with the sound of their dad singing Italian and Spanish folk songs. The quintet is rounded out by two friends of the Lucchesi brothers and together they call to mind outfits such as Huey Lewis & The News and Prince. 

A contemporary '80s disco-inspired album, Dancing For The Girl is like stepping into classic cult movies such as St Elmo's Fire and The Breakfast Club, with this album acting as the perfect soundtrack. While it's easy to get lost in Dancing For The Girl's nostalgia, the impressive musicianship of Vaudeville Smash is always on display and stunning, intricate harmonies feature on Ghouls and Honeymoon. A feast for the ears that is mainly upbeat and a joy to listen to, it doesn't shy away from darker subject matter such as infidelity (Don't Say A Word), the joy of finding love after heartbreak (I Got A Feeling) and the morning after the night before (Time).

The instrumental nature of Dancing For The Girl sometimes overtakes Marc's dizzying vocals but it wouldn't have worked any other way. This is how to make an '80s throwback album sound current. It's how danceable music is supposed to be.