This is a review of "The Average White Boy" recorded by Loqui. The review was written by Mark Shahid in 2008.

There’s no wasting time with Loqui, 3 seconds in and I am already reaching for the volume knob. Here I am presented with two bitesize chunks destined not to fit in anywhere whilst still remaining a bit too familiar and of course it comes as no surprise that Loqui don’t seem to care either way.

The Average White Boy presents 3 minutes of trumpet-ridden ska, badly produced acoustic guitars and that oh-so-friendly ooh-pah beat you can’t seem to live without on anything ska related. Front man, Rob Paul Chapman is reduced to scat-like vocals he quips “The only thoughts in my head are the things I’ve not done”. We have here the narration of Paul Simon fighting with the renewed energy of the Mighty Mighty Bosstones (you must remember?), whilst memorable choruses are toughened by a small male/female crowd, making you want to jump around in a joyous slump – if you think of local indie oldies, Shatner and turn up the ‘fun’ levels, you’re edging nearer to what this is. Before the song finishes I think to myself “Please don’t end with an organ key slide” but alas I am soon let down. The alternative offering on this CD also features backing singers on helium and maintains the same energy of the first, just not as good.

Loqui are unquestionably a band for the born for stage, a band fated for drunken Friday night dancing and even a band to jump around naked and care-free to but they are not the ones to be subjected to a deep muso-analytical process which, unfortunately, is exactly what I have just done.