POP MUSIC REVIEWS : Diverse Indians Offer Only a Standard Mix

Angelique Bianca is an Angeleno of exotic heritage--Native American, Haitian, French, Spanish, Russian--and her band the Indians comprises a black English bassist, an Italian guitarist and a German drummer. You’d hope for something diverse and colorful from a combination like that, but at the Whisky on Tuesday, the group presented a fairly standard brand of guitar-based pop-rock, with some hip-hop interludes patched in.

On their recently released debut album, “Indianism,” Bianca has something of Natalie Merchant’s dry-toned delivery and a little Edie Brickell preciousness. But she asserted no real presence at the Whisky, as she sang lyrics that earnestly but awkwardly bemoan society’s problems and look to the spiritual skies for comfort, while the group played its generic, storm-and-squeal rock.

Opening act C.C. Adcock could also use a touch of the exotic--actually, all he needs to do is figure out how to showcase what he has. The young singer-guitarist from southwest Louisiana has elements of Cajun music lurking in his blend, but on Tuesday everything was flattened into a familiar blues-rock attack with little flavor or flair.