The Fun Lovin' Criminals' first hit, "Scooby Snacks," was easy to dismiss as kitschy imitation gangsterism. But the misspent youth of frontman Huey did once land him in jail and, subsequently, in the military. More important, beneath the sly, street-level tales is a humanistic heart. Even more important is how Huey and keyboardist and programmer Fast's fetish for cognac-smooth '70s soul and classic rock is routed through their production prowess so that both styles are replicated dead-on and livened up with sassy blues guitar. The band's last release, 100% Colombian, remains an unsung modern soul classic created by three white guys who consider themselves hip-hop more than anything else. Half of Welcome to Poppy's wouldn't have sounded out of place on soul radio 25 years ago. The other half leans toward the smirk-rock of the band's early days. But the maturity is impossible to ignore. Welcome, indeed.
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