The Fun Lovin' Criminals
inhabit a world of odd events. First poking the public eye with the
Pulp Fiction
-friendly
"Scooby Snacks"
and then watching as their unusual backwash of
hip-hop
blues
, gangland
loungecore
, and ironic triple-entendre subsequently takes root in international soil only to have -- drat! --
Brixton
's
Alabama 3
get the
Sopranos
theme song was probably never part of the plan. This is, quite possibly, why
Loco
sounds continually exasperated with its own schtick.
The FLC
are leery and stupid on winking, vaguely sober growl-a-thons such as
the Mighty Mighty Bosstones
-indebted
"Where the Bums Go"
and resolutely self-pitying on
"Half a Block,"
then bring it all back to the modus operandi of the album's offensive ad campaign with their hairy, sex-starved version of
Eric B. & Rakim
"Microphone Friend,"
but if
the FLC
would remember why this stuff works despite its own stoned limitations, it would've resulted in something of larger import than this minor lesson in creative fatigue. ~ Dean Carlson