Moby takes conservative approach in new album

By Cheryl Noland

After years living as an unknown DJ to the masses, Moby finally made a name for himself with 1999's breakthrough album Play. He discovered that by licensing his songs for commercial use, in addition to television and film, he could broaden his listening audience. But can Moby's new album 18 live up to the hype of its predecessor?

On 18, Moby focuses on softer, less techno-influenced material as opposed to songs like his first worldwide hit "Bodyrock." However, like his previous album, Moby still manages to blend bluesy vocals with peaceful instrumentation. The most soothing example is the simple ballad "At Least We Tried," which contains RandB vocals from Freedom Bremner and gentle strings from Moby.

The melancholy vocals don't stop on "In This World" and "One Of These Mornings." On the latter, vocalist Dianne McCaulley unleashes her pain as she wails, "One of these mornings / Won't be very long / You will look for me / And I'll be gone."

Though the majority of his record features ballads, Moby adds a handful of upbeat tracks to the mix. Don't be surprised if his infectious single, the New Wave/Rock "We Are All Made of Stars," is featured in the next Tommy Hilfiger ad.

Another fast-paced track, "Jam For the Ladies," surprisingly features soul singer Angie Stone and female rapper MC Lyte. Even though the song has an appealing beat that is similar to a tone-downed version of Fatboy Slim's "Weapon of Choice," (Remember the video with Christopher Walken dancing?) Moby could have done more to make this song the next big club hit.

Fans of Moby might expect more experimentation, but they will surely like what they hear. B+