Lacona preview

Lacona
Empty Bottle, Chicago
Thursday, January 10, 2008

Since releasing two not-so-telling singles back in May, local outfit Lacona finally have a full-length release in hand. And the results curiously span a spectrum from glossy numbers akin to fellow area Ashlee Simpson-courting groups (minus the bombast, of course) to D.I.Y.-ethos barn burners.

Pantomime (Scuzzball) is mired in an identity struggle as vocalist/guitarist Geoffrey Dolce, keyboardist Patrick Newbery, and drummer Gary James alternately dabble in traditional indie rockers (“Speak”), shimmering string-laden ballads a la Coldplay (“Out Of Phase”), and a strung-out version of Duran Duran (“35 (Half Of 70)”). Will the real Lacona please stand up?

It’s clear the trio took great pains to stuff all their influences onto the album’s 12 tracks. Dolce does his best to summon his inner Jeff “Everybody Here Wants You” Buckley on “Ghost” while “You Want” employs the same punchy guitars so closely associated with Office.

Is it wrong to desire something a bit more cohesive? At least Pantomime can’t be criticized of keeping the same tone through its hour-long run time. That’d be boring. No one ever said a buffet was the most satisfying of dinners, but they do the job to fill you up.

Michael Columbia and Cealed Kasket open.

— Janine Schaults

Category: Stage Buzz, Weekly