The Best of Vengaboys

Lovably cheesy Eurodance act Vengaboys scored just four Top 20 hits in Australia in the late ’90s, never reaching the levels of fame or success enjoyed by teen-pop peers like Britney Spears or the Spice Girls. How, then, can one account for the massive success of their upcoming Australian tour (three — count ‘em, three — dates at Melbourne’s Corner Hotel)? Perhaps ’90s is the new ’80s when it comes to retro revivals. Their half-dozen hits are all included here (as well as a lot of questionable album-track filler — Superfly Slick Dick, anyone?), and show that the group did at least make some musical progress during their brief two-year run.

Early hits like We Like To Party and Up & Down were so tinny and cheap they sounded dated the day they were released, but by their second album, the Vengas were releasing quality dance pop like Boom, Boom, Boom, Boom and sweet, sunny reggae tunes like Uncle John From Jamaica. Best to avoid last year’s embarrassing ‘comeback’ single Rocket To Uranus, but this collection should raise a nostalgic smile from anyone who grew up in the ’90s.