Slightly Stoopid continues its journey away from punk rock on its fifth album, Chronchitis. In fact, by now it's hard to remember when this band ever played like punks. Kyle McDonald and Miles Doughty, the original duo, have by now been joined by four other musicians, and while they may still hail from San Diego, their sound is pure Caribbean. Reggae, rocksteady, and especially dub dominate on these groove-heavy tracks. There are other influences -- you can almost sing Traffic's "Feelin' Alright?" to "Hold On to the One" and, despite its title, "Jimi" is reminiscent of Hugh Masekela's "Grazing in the Grass" -- but the Jamaican rhythms are constant, and they are accentuated by the singers' faux-Jamaican accents. The effect is never less than entertaining and almost always infectious, and the guests, particularly touring buddy G. Love, who waxes erotic on "Baby I Like It," provide welcome additions to the sound. Chronchitis is one of those records that sounds like it was formed with live work in mind, and it should keep Slightly Stoopid's summer audiences happy and dancing.
© William Ruhlmann /TiVo