Lost in the Zoo

A weirder, more self-deprecating sense of humor would serve Lost in the Zoo well. Or maybe a lute player. Or anything off-the-wall. The trio has the cool-guy retro look down pat, a faint air of mystery (the frontman's name is, apparently, Chris B) and zany, cavity-crunching songcraft that betrays an affection for Fifteen, Weezer, Wheatus, Green Day and Cursive. The anti-cubicle anthems in the band's quiver ("7:47," "Stay Home All Year") will strike a nerve with off-duty Dilberts quaffing Molsons in the audience even as the songs about girls ("Predictable," "Spark") are lyrically generic. Overall, 3 works musically, in a "These guys rock! They're from here? Really? Dude!" kind of way. But Lost in the Zoo will need that special something extra -- a different attitude, maybe -- if it's going to stand out among the thousands of other undiscovered guitar-drum-bass acts that are plowing the same tired soil.