Artist: Legalo Kriminalo
Label: Self-released
Release: 2009
Length: 39:09
Rating: 3.5/5
Party rock with touches of metal, punk, funk, even rap. The debut from the Styrian four-piece Legalo Kriminalo. Going by the band’s name, you’d actually figure it was made up of at least the types who warm the seats in the national parliament, or all the others who’ve won themselves a position in this social order where, under the pretense of legislation, they grant themselves the authority to legally rob honest people. Legal street beggars aren’t bums, after all. That’s the municipal wardens and the police, if we limit ourselves to just the Orwellian dogs of the evergreen “creed” of animal farm!
Legalo Kriminalo are a bunch of jokers, but they don’t rein in a sharp tongue. The energy of the album’s opening stretch (Pravljica) is at times similar to bands like Res Nulius, and the musical groove calls to mind the vibe of the likes of Mi2. But that’s misleading, as the rest of the album confirms. Let’s take it in order, though. The common denominator of the songs is that this is music that’s easygoing, listenable, with no deep philosophy. The song Najboljši introduces guest vocalist Peter Lovšin of Pankrt. It’s not hard to guess that the verses rhyme in that typically slangy, boozy Ljubljana “yapping”, which makes it instantly clear that the legend of Slovenian punk is steering this one in a duet with Simon. Totally catchy and in line with Lovšin’s solo stuff, so this song would have no trouble finding a spot on any of his solo records. A goofy lyric tailored to Lovšin’s singing, whose intelligence sparkles only in matching up the rhymes between verses. Pure, proper tomfoolery, then. Legalo Kriminalo don’t need more than that, and they don’t demand it either. At this point in the album, anyway. That energy then really only comes back at the end of the album, with the song Summer Night.
You can tell Legalo Kriminalo are a band that only shows its true worth and face on stage. There they bite down hard! In the intro of the song Mati, you can also hear that the guys listen to heavy metal, while the production, of course, makes sure the album doesn’t veer off the party punk or trendy “groove” rock track. The “green” language of the verses in this song points to the guys’ ecological awareness. That “Dictum Factum” isn’t a totally typical alt-rock album is also conjured up by the “groove” rhythmic attack in the song Party. In the verse (before the chorus), the bass line carries some moves that even evoke old Red Hot Chilli Peppers. Approaches like this are hugely welcome in making the album more varied. They’re used successfully and fit right in, and the band shows off its multilayered musical chops along the way.
Among the songs, Siva reka is a special case. It’s the album’s ugly duckling. With a bit more emphasis on building up the sonic “volume”, this song could hit even harder. It has hit potential that could bring Legalo Kriminalo more recognition on the Slovenian music scene. Especially in the production, there’s still some room left to bring out the avalanche-massive riff backdrop of the wall of sound. Why the need now? Simply because of the vocal approach, which serves up “Bohemian-style depressive melodic whining” – that is, trivial Slovenian depression you can’t miss and that has to be masked in an avalanche of riff volume (SIddharta, for example, know this well by now). The verse meanders into rapping. But in a contrasting way that works. Mission accomplished!
Old times? Organic sound. Hey, what’s Da Phenomena doing here? A funky gallop straight out of the seventies. Rhythmically, Legalo Kriminalo are a strong crew, and this song only confirms it. Simple, clichéd guitar embellishments owing to jazz leanings, dropped in here and there, once again work in favor of lifting the song’s dynamics. The song Cancer once again superbly twists the atmosphere. A black atmosphere. You can’t miss Čule – that signature Interceptor rasp is superbly woven into the darkly conceived song. Here too Legalo Kriminalo point out they’re heavy metal fans, but the production highlights the “groove”, so the rhythm line, as well as the vocal duet, absolutely take primacy over the riff. It’s another successfully created turn in the album’s mood and dynamics.
“Dictum Factum” is a multilayered album. Legalo Kriminalo can be squeezed into the alternative rock label, but mainly because of the production, while the guys stack their songs in a way that doesn’t hide the influences of punk, heavy metal (thrash metal), even funk leanings,… What tips the scales above all is that the voluminously grooving, active rhythm line expertly hides the riff clichés, taking the burden off the lead riffs and winning the listener over! Legalo Kriminalo didn’t reinvent the wheel with “Dictum Factum”. But they did manage to deliver a quality rock album that doesn’t bore, thanks especially to the variety of ideas within the individual songs. It’s a different album from the crowd of the Slovenian “alternative boom”, and I’d say that with it the guys have laid the right cornerstone, one they can build on and use to sharpen their musical identity in the future.
Lineup
Simon Cukjati – vocals, guitar
Rok Pogačnik – guitar
Mitja Zagoričnik – bass
Robert Dobrišek – drums
GUEST MUSICIANS:
Pero Lovšin – vocals on track no. 3
Gregor Čulk jr. – vocals on track no. 10
Production
Tomaž Rebernak & Legalo Kriminalo
Track list
1. Intro
2. Pravljica
3. Najboljši
4. Rock N’ Roll
5. Mati
6. Party
7. Siva reka
8. Stari časi
9. Oblast narodu
10. Cancer
11. Who Gives a Shit
12. Summer Night
13. Party (live)
