FUN LOVIN' CRIMINALS Vinyl Records and CDs

Can the rest of the world be wrong? Has irony crippled America's ability to dig music for what it is -- entertainment? People in Europe and parts beyond are into the Fun Lovin' Criminals for their tight grooves and the good time they bring. Nevertheless, recent collaborations with Garbage, B.B. King, and Echo and the Bunnymen should hand us our humble pie, but for some reason, the collective U.S. mind-set still faults FLC for the epoxy-sticky (albeit super-gimmicky) single "Scooby Snacks." Not to worry. On their latest CD, 100% Colombian, FLC play it like Puffy, gaffling the breakdown from Tom Petty's "American Girl" on their "Big Night Out." More important than that, though, is FLC's growing confidence with Lounge -- and not that phony Cherry Poppin' Daddies nonsense, either -- but the N.Y.C. cool that brings together Barry White, NuYorican flava, and patent touches like horns and marimbas.