Two Shots

Matt Dusk, Matt Dusk | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 8, 2007)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Decca
• ASIN: B000255LHA
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (66 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #69,769 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

The big-label bow of this Toronto-born, classically trained pretender to the contemporary crooner crown comes bundled in a shrewdly frank marketing gambit. Dusk scored a recurring role on the reality series Casino as a young, wannabe showroom headliner. As with virtually every ambitious retro-pop male vocalist since Harry Connick, Jr., the musical touchstone here is Sinatra, from the album's title track (an 80th-birthday gift from U2 to the Chairman himself, who never recorded it) to a rhythmically sprightly take on "Fly Me To the Moon." But what noses the 24-year-old Dusk ahead of his rat-packaged competitors here is a promising understanding of the canon that goes deeper than mere ring-a-ding-ding trappings. While his bold, downbeat recasting of the Beatles' "Please Please Me" falls short of its ambitions, songs like "Lonely Road," "Every Mother's Son," "Always" and "Five" (the latter two tellingly co-written by the singer himself) have a reflective, autumnal tone that gratifyingly echo Sinatra's own period of willful, introspective reinvention in the mid-1950s. --Jerry McCulley

Product Description

Debut album from Canadian crooner Matt Dusk. This Canadian version includes an exclusive bonus remix of the single 'Two Shots' (penned by Bono), as heard on the 'Casino' reality show from Fox.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Matt Dusk sells these songs without even trying--BRAVO, MATT DUSK !!!, June 28, 2008

By 

Matthew G. Sherwin (last seen screaming at Amazon customer service) - See all my reviews
(TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Two Shots (Audio CD)

Matt Dusk scores big again with his album entitled Two Shots; and he more than proves he's worth his weight in gold. Matt's voice is in excellent form and it's truly like a finely tuned instrument; I rarely hear and enjoy a male vocalist as proficient as Matt is! The quality of the sound is excellent and the artwork is nicely done as well.

The album begins with "Two Shots Of Happy, One Shot Of Sad;" the key modulations are excellent; Matt switches between minor and major keys to make this number a strong beginning tune fort his album. Matt swings gently to make this a really fine ballad and the music that accompanies Matt never drowns him out while still adding a lot to the tune. "Miracle" is a sprightly little tune with lots of pep; and Matt sings this with lots of positive energy; Matt's voice is smooth as silk and he never sounded better! It's numbers like "Miracle" that tell me this guy's going to be around for a real long while!

"Cold as Ice" is a fine torch song that features Matt Dusk squarely front and center--and that's all right by me! Matt massages the lyrics to this song with panache and he never sings a superfluous note, either! I am very impressed with Matt's work on "Cold As Ice;" and I predict that you're going to like this very much if you like contemporary pop vocals. In addition, "Lonely Road" again features Matt singing--this time of his one true love; he hates to be away from her. Will his character find her again? Listen to the song--maybe there's an answer and maybe there's not.

"Don't Go Looking" has Matt Dusk swinging gently again to make this number shine brighter than silver and gold! Matt really delivers this with all his heart and soul; he delves deeply into this song to make it all his own and it works well for both him and "Don't Go Looking." Similarly, "Fly Me To The Moon" showcases Matt's talents very nicely; and I believe that "Fly Me To The Moon" is a major highlight of this album. The musical arrangement is part smooth jazz and part R&B; so expect "Fly Me To The Moon" to be a very fine number you'll never get tired of hearing.

"Please Please Me" is a good cover of a Beatles song; although the Amazon website says this is a weaker number it has its own strength; Matt just slows down the tempo a whole lot to place a more romantic, smoother spin onto this tune; it's no longer a rock song the way The Fab Four sang it. There's no right or wrong here; but you may like "Please Please Me" just as much as I did. "Always" has a lush musical arrangement; and listen for Matt to outdo even himself on "Five." The album also ends very smoothly with Matt Dusk singing "Two Shots Of Happy, One Shot Of Sad" all over again--with maybe a few changes in that arrangement to let you decide if you like the first version or the second version better! I like the first version; but again there's no right or wrong here.

Matt Dusk really did some great work on this album; it's a joy to hear him sing. I highly recommend this for his fans and people who like contemporary pop vocals will enjoy this album as well.

11 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars One shot of disappointment..., July 28, 2004

By 

Sonya (Vancouver, British Columbia Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Two Shots (Audio CD)

I had been eagerly anticipating the release of Two Shots for some time after hearing Matt Dusk on a jazz compilation. When it finally arrived, I popped it into my CD player and listened to the album twice - from beginning to end.

While I love the richness and texture of Matt Dusk's voice, his phrasing and singing at times were a bit shakey - like he was trying to hard for Sinatra-esque swing and swagger. I found some of the original compositions to be a bit schmaltzy, the interpretation of 'Please, Please Me' to be grating, and the dance remix to be completely unnecessary.

Perhaps, this is a CD to be put away on a shelf and re-discovered at a latter date. Regardless, I look forward to Dusk's 2nd album because it can only get better.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Button on Casio keyboard hit by Jim Roth, May 12, 2005

By 

Michael J. Long "Music Guy" (Indianapolis "Home of the 500") - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Two Shots (Audio CD)

His voice is good, but I have a problem with "artists" who use drum machines and synths instead of living, breathing, musicians. That's part of what makes this feel so cold. It's like listening to that guy on Open Mic Night who gets up there with similar backup. Using a machine just sounds too tight. Not what you want when it comes to jazz/lounge. You want to hear things like a slight pause in the fans on a snare. Subtle things are what matter. If I HAD to pick a "new crop crooner", I'd probably go listen to a little more Michael Buble. Sure, his remakes of some tunes, just don't fit, but the ones that work have a sizzle and genuiness not felt here.