I truly don't know what to make of this band. Some reviewers might like to scope out the band before claiming the promo (Yes, that's how it works. Sorry to pull back the curtain kids.) But others, like myself, tend to claim a CD with only a rudimentary understanding of what they sound like - usually according to their PR people which more often than not well, let's say sometimes their idea of "sounds like" is the very definition of wishful thinking. Looking at the album cover, which is, all things considered, truly awful, you'd expect happy-go-lucky wisenheimers in the vein of Barenaked Ladies. I understand that the idea is to be "lame" (it's a parody of a catolog), but it doesn't come off as parody - just kind of.....dumb. Well shame on me for judging this book by its cover, because they sound nothing like the Barenaked Ladies. Hell a further inspection proves they aren't even Canadian they come from the Midwest of these United States! How, then can they look so harmless and sound so .not? These guys know how to knock out a song even though they aren't The Dillinger Escape Plan or Mr. Bungle the sincerity to play as if is still there. And these days? Sincerity goes a long way. It all depends on if sincerity is enough for you. We can't always have Fantômas. Sometimes all we have is Grotus. There's a few highlights to be sure. Some tracks, like "Don't Make Me Fight You, Old Man" and " If Someone Asks If You Are A God, You Say Yes" showcase just how damn good this bang can be others, like "Free Willie Nelson Mandela" make glaringly clear just how far this band has to go. The seeds are there for this group to grow forth and prosper they can do it. Or, they can become M.I.R.V. Remember them? I almost didn't either but look them up and consider their story a cautionary tale of "almost." Lafcadio are almost metal, there's just a little too much funk to take them all away. They're almost math rock, but the equations, while not quite simple are easy enough for a chowderhead like myself to understand without consulting the textbook. Lafcadio are almost good. For some, that's more than enough. It's just not good enough for me.
