In the period after Simple Experience, Vector fans had a wonderful cassette-only demo release to keep hope alive. The songs had upbeat, clever hooks--a return from recent anemic fare to the sort of bright pop that characterizes Vector at their best. I was convinced that a stroke of Vector brilliance was lurking just over the horizon...
And now, after more waiting, we have Temptation. Why the title? Perhaps Vector met the Devil at the crossroads and turned him down. That would explain why Temptation failed to live up to its potential, if it weren't so obvious from the lyrics that they're dedicated to the one real source of creativity. Maybe they just had too much time to play with the songs while waiting to record this album and it took the edge off.
As it stands, though, the result is quite listenable. If this were an album from a new band, I would call it "a promising debut." Many of the songs may be unexciting, but they're hardly downright bad. Two stand out: "Mr. Color Wheel" would make a great uptempo single and "She Won't Say Goodbye" is a touching ballad that's moving without being maudlin. The bottom line is that if you enjoyed other albums from Vector and Jimmy A., you'll probably enjoy this one, too. If you're a fan of well-produced pop, you could do worse than this album...just don't expect to tap your toes too often.
