Vengaboys - The Party Album! (1999)

The Vengaboys achieved major U.S. dancefloor success in 1998 with the bouncy Eurodisco hit "We Like to Party," which even managed to cross over to Top 40 Radio. The song was reminiscent of Aqua's 1997 smash "Barbie Girl," with it's singalong chorus, cutesy female vocal squeal, and wacky synth beats. Fortunately, The Vengaboys were able to come up with a debut album that was chock-full of tunes just as engaging as their hit; the appropriately titled The Party Album is a frothy dance-pop winner. Spanish DJs Danski and Delmundo, the creative masterminds behind the group, have crafted an album tailor-made for danceclubs, with elements of Eurodisco, trance, and techno. "We Like to Party" starts off the album quite nicely; predictably it offers several similar sounding tracks like "Up and Down" (virtually a note-for-note rewrite of the lead track) and "Boom Boom Boom Boom." The campy approach can be overbearing, but the upbeat, tuneful material on this release is difficult to dislike. The music gets a little more daring as the album progresses. The funky, dynamic "Superfly Slick," the best track on this release, is a surprisingly complex composition; the bitter spurned-lover lyrics, hypnotic beat, and catchy hook make it a potential dancefloor classic. The album also has its share of techno/trance influenced instrumentals that prove they are not limited to fluffy Euro-pop. The Party Album is consistently pleasant, fun, and wildly entertaining. While it obviously lacks the artistic and historical significance of Sgt. Pepper and fails to make any important political or social statements, it definitely serves its purpose and serves it well. Recommended for those who just want to have a good time.~The Party Album! Review by William Cooper