French band
Babylon Circus are a hybrid of styles. There's the ska group that's so rhythmic on the opening cut "Contra La Guerra: Greva General!," the one with circus ambitions (evident on several cuts), and one which has a few serious music intentions ("Interlude Barbare," "L'Huile Sur Le Feu"). In a way, it's a little like hearing someone trying to mix the sounds of
Manu Chao,
Lo'Jo, and a few others (including vintage
Tom Waits, at least in spirit), but without much of the originality of any of them. That's not to say they're bad or even especially derivative. At times they have some interesting ideas. They're simply not developed enough, as they seem content to wander along paths pioneered by others. There's enough to enjoy here, but sadly not enough to blow the listener away.