One of the highlights of
El Guapo's first Dischord release, Super/System, was its extremely experimental nature. It may not have fit right in with the standard fare put out by the D.C. label, but it was quite a solid listen. This time around,
El Guapo has taken a much more conservative approach, sounding more like a band than a collective. The songs are more, well, songlike, and there are moments that are more in tune with the current underground music scene. While this change makes the band a bit more accessible, it's still a bit of a letdown. The songs are good, and easy to listen to, but part of the charm of
El Guapo's first Dischord release was the way it excelled outside the bounds of standard song structures.
Fake French is a solid record, but it's not the mindblower that one would have expected after Super/System. ~ Chris True