Poor Cayucas.  They just want to play the soundtrack to an endless summer, paying homage to Vampire Weekend and Beck along the way.  These days, however, are a catalytic era for popular music; under the surface, an intense period of creativity and exploration is occurring.  Bands like Cayucas that come along and just want to take stock of what’s already been accomplished are typically derided for being “derivative” and lacking in artistic merit.  Albums like Bigfoot, though, aren’t about creating some new artistic paradigm, however; they’re just here for the barbeque and the brews.  It’s an album written to be played in the summer, outdoors, and in this goal it succeeds admirably.  The first two tracks, “Cayucos” and “High School Lover”, hit like a one-two punch to radio while we were all still languishing under snow, and they brought with them the promise of brighter, warmer days.  Now that those days have arrived, Bigfoot provides a perfect accompaniment to them; it works for outdoor parties, BBQs by the lake, cottage get-togethers, or whatever other cliched Summer Activities you’re into.  It doesn’t aim much further beyond that, and it doesn’t have to. You can’t discuss Hemingway and Proust with it, but who cares?  You can chug a beer to it,  it’s at least vaguely intelligent, and sometimes that’s all that really matters.  Now go outside, or something.

Final Mark:  B+

And, if you’re going to go outside, don’t forget to bring a book.  If you need a book, you can find links to such sundries on http://www.trevorjameszaple.com .  There’s even an excerpt you can download to try it before you buy it.  Shareware stylez.  Word.