Dios Malos

Dios Malos gets points right off the bat for arousing the ire of none other than Ronnie James Dio, who, in a particularly befuddled show of hubris, ordered the band to change its original name, Dios (which, for those of you who don't know, means "god" in Spanish). Another obvious and sensationalistic — but more relevant — fact about Dios Malos is that the band hails from the same town as the Beach Boys. Bear in mind that the band is on record as being thoroughly sick of the Beach Boys comparison, and not without good reason. Don't get the wrong idea — "sunny" vibes ripple across Dios Malos' sound in spades. But, if the Beach Boys do indeed cast any sort of influence here, it's more subliminal in nature. Dios Malos certainly is its own entity and represents jangle pop at its most original, psychedelic, and quirky — not to mention unpretentious and compelling. And the darkness, despair, and sarcasm lurking in the sun-drenched shadows make it impossible to resist.