7.2001

The Cautions (CD Review)
By Gail Worley
StarPolish.com

The Cautions describe their sound as "Weezer versus the Cars in a fight to the death over Elvis Costello tickets." As much as I wish I'd written that very clever and quite accurate analogy, I'd have to add that The Cautions seem poised to capitalize on the mystifying popularity of a band like Blink 182, though they lack what I call the "mental retardation factor" of that band, specifically.

One of the best groups I've discovered on Starpolish, as far as having three equally exciting and impressive tunes available for download on the site, this Boston band understands the fine line between clever and stupid, as a member of Spinal Tap once mused.

And they aren't just working the novelty angle: The Cautions can rock, as proven by guitarist, Jeff Caglarcan, who adds a lush, almost layered sound to driving, power-punk riffs, and drummer, Chris Newbern, who consistently nails the back beat, throwing in some impressive fills that sustain the tune's buoyancy. A nod to Jeopardy's famous interlude music in the bridge adds oomph to the songs' overall appeal. "Game Show" kicks ass and takes names sideways. Also, check out the hilarious and dead clever "Coffee Shop Girl" (sample lyric: "She takes her coffee black/'Cause she's a vegan") and "Out of Print," which finds a newly-single guy reciting a litany of things he won't miss about his ex-girlfriend, while earnestly requesting the return of his vinyl collection. (I'd love to know how many listeners will pick up on that song's brief-but-blissful homage to Devo's classic "Jocko Homo.")