| 『 Two Shots 』 | Matt Dusk | 0:38:47 |
| 0:38:47 | Usen C50 2005年09月05日3枚目 『 Two Shots 』 |
| 1 Two Shots Of Happy，One Shot Of Sad（04分28秒） | |
| 2 Miracle（03分36秒） | |
| 3 Windows（04分12秒） | |
| 4 Cold As Ice（04分07秒） | |
| 5 Lonely Road（05分32秒） | |
| 6 Don't Go Looking（04分00秒） | |
| 7 Fly Me To The Moon（02分50秒） | |
| 8 Wish You Well（05分58秒） | |
| 9 Every Mother's Son（04分04秒） |
Just when I thought is was safe to come out of the crooner closet, up steps Matt Dusk. Dusk is yet another singer ready to assume a little of the mantle left by the passing of Sinatra. The Chairman just happens to be Dusk's hero, and the master's voice and style embodies much of what Dusk attempts. High praise, and warranted on the evidence of his new release, Two Shots.
Dusk's fame - and CD sales, I assume - has shot skyward since his 'starring' on the Fox 'unscripted' reality series, The Casino. Dusk is a very charming Torontonian who was at the right place at the right time, and was 'cast' as the upwardly mobile crooner singing to dinner guests in the lounge, while setting his sights to headline in the main room of Vegas' Golden Nugget Casino. The show has a certain charm, slick visuals from the producer of Survivor, and an interesting cast of 'characters', Dusk chief among them.
Two Shots is very well-produced, with excellent recording and very fine musicians, including members of both London's Royal Philharmonic and the Toronto Symphony. His Vegas house band is no slouch, either. Accompaniments are tasteful; ballads are subtle and up tempos really swing.
The CD begins well and ends even better. Track 1, Two Shots of Happy, One Shot of Sad, written for Sinatra, comes from a source not associated with the best in swing style - Bono and The Edge from U2! Sadly, Sinatra never recorded it. The song swings with the best, has a very cool bridge, and captures the essence of Sinatra's perceived life. The final track is the 'Hot Nugget' remix of Two Shots. It's loud and brash and really swings. Loved it!
Much of what comes in between ranges from soulful ballads like Cold as Ice and Always to smart, up tempo arrangements of Miracle and Fly Me to the Moon. Dusk's performances are first rate. He only steps in the poop once. Lennon/McCartney's Please Please Me (Ash Howes Mix) is woefully out of place. The melody remains earthbound and Dusk seems uncomfortable with the style.
Although many of the songs were unknown to me, Dusk's impeccable style and great voice made them seem familiar very quickly. Canada may now lay claim to the two top stylists in swing, Dusk and Michael Buble. Both are very fine and are helping to maintain a wonderful tradition. Before I heard the CD, I was a little nervous that Dusk (or Decca!) may be cashing in on the great success of Buble. Not so. Dusk is his own man. For lovers of the genre, buy Two Shots with confidence.