Fish Out of Water

When I was 23, I really wanted to be Iceberg Slim, Bob Marley and Bootsy Collins all rolled together into one badass persona. But there was no escaping the suburban upbringing, Scottish genes and Presbyterian heritage, not to mention the telltale blond hair and pink skin. This Davis quintet, led by cousins Brandon and Kyle Moon, recently relocated from San Luis Obispo. It vividly demonstrates that there are young Caucasians who still share my youthful aspirations. This rap- and reggae-inflected CD seems oddly anachronistic, like an extended frat-house jam. The first cut, “Jambalaya,” samples Dave & Ansell Collins’ “Double Barrel,” and it’s a slide from there. Six tunes in, there’s a nicely rambling acoustic-guitar jam, and the last three tracks feature the band live at Davis’ Whole Earth Festival.