Music for People
With his 1998 debut,Visual Audio Sensory Theater, Vast's Jon Crosby unveiled his dark musical vision and gave an insight to a childhood spent learning classical music, listening toU2and theCure, and watching MTV. On Vast's follow-up, Crosby's adds to his debut's components a masterful understanding of how to use his gifts. For the majority ofMusic for People, he delicately balances morbid melodies with tender orchestration. Trombone and ethereal strings lift the downtrodden "Blue," while joyous, overblown hooks elevate the sinister "The Last One Alive." Crosby's balancing act accentuates his love for pure rock drama. Unfortunately, this passion can also be his undoing; his operatic barking on "Song Without a Name" is too grandiose to be taken seriously. In the main, though, Crosby's smoldering vocals, cryptic words, classical leanings, and twisted blend of rock and electronica posit Vast as U2's heavy-rock cousins.--Dan Gennoe