Slightly Stoopid – Top of The World
1.) Top of the World
2.) Don’t Stop
3.) Devils Door
4.) Serious Man
5.) Way You Move
6.) Drink Professionally
7.) Ur Love (feat. Barrington Levy)
8.) We Don’t Wanna Go
9.) Ska Diddy (feat. Angelo Moore)
10.) Just Thinking (feat. Chali 2na)
11.) Deal With Rhythm
12.) Pon Da Horizon
13.) Work
14.) Mona June (feat. Angela)
15.) Rhythm Streets
16.) Hiphoppablues (feat. G. Love)
17.) New Day
18.) Underneath the Pressure
19.) Marijuana (feat. Don Carlos)
20.) I’m on Fire
21.) Intro to Organics (feat. Dan Papaila)
The Pier Album Rating:
Release Date: August 14th, 2012
Record Label: Stoopid Records
Official Website: Slightly Stoopid Website
Group Background:
Slightly Stoopid is the quintessential jam band. Often times the prototypical label of reggae-rock gets slapped on their musical style, but restricting Slightly Stoopid to one genre is unwise. Since their formation and debut self-titled album release in 1996, Stoopid has blended surf rock, reggae, punk, ska, blues, hip-hop and acoustic rock music into one high-quality sound that is left unmatched. With eight previous albums, including one strictly acoustic album and a live CD/DVD released, the band has been approached numerous times by the suits and ties of big name record labels, but have stayed true to their grassroots independent route. And now, Slightly Stoopid has landed on the Top of the World with their seventh studio album.
Album Review:
Slightly Stoopid’s Top of the World continues the onward and upward trend within the band members’ musicianship, while bringing the purity and energy of their live shows into the studio for recording sessions. Top of the World is most comparatively aligned with Slightly Stoopid’s 2005 studio release of Closer to the Sun, except now the addition and solidification of both trumpet and saxophone are more profound. This is certainly not a step backwards, if anything, Slightly Stoopid enhanced their sound ten fold from their most successful album of all time.
Top of the World contains everything a music enthusiast will adore long after the first spin of the album. Whether the listener adores the hip-hop beats of the album’s title track, the uplifting horns on “Don’t Stop”, the pure roots-reggae style of “Work”, or the soulful cover of Bruce Springsteen’s “I’m On Fire,” Top of the World has all the necessary qualities of an instant classic.
To take the album to another level, Slightly Stoopid invited a whole host of musical studs in their own right with Barrington Levy on “Ur Love”, “Ska Diddy” featuring Angelo Moore of Fishbone, “Just Thinkin” featuring Chali 2na, “Mona June” featuring Angela Hunte, “Hiphoppablues” with G. Love, and the legendary Jamaican singer and songwriter Don Carlos on “Marijuana”.
The band name Slightly Stoopid doesn’t initially give off the sense of soothing melodies, full-brained lyricism and heartfelt tracks from beginning to end, but that is exactly what Top of the World portrays to the listener. Slightly Stoopid’s seventh studio album is the band’s most complete and all encompassing sound ever tracked, and they recorded it organically in their own studio on their own time.
If you are looking for a 21-track album that will keep the sense of feel good summer vibes alive long into the fall and winter seasons, then Top of the World is the ideal remedy to bring the sound of Ocean Beach, California right to your side.
Written & Reviewed By: Kris Siuta
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I CANT WAIT UNTIL MIDNIGHT!!!!
along with stick figures burial ground, by far the best album in the past couple years
their “Im on fire” cover is one of my favorites, right alongside the cover that was done by Town Mountain, great album, stoked to see them Saturday!
Best Buy has the album for 7.99 just so people know. Yes I was there for ten minutes until the door opend at ten so I could run in there to pick it up. Obviously they didn’t even have the album out of the shipping box yet, when it was handed to me haha. I have to have physical copies of music from bands I highly respect, so that’s why I held off on pre-ordering it or anything like especially because the shipping charge to South Florida was like 15 bucks on Stoopids website. Anyhow this album KICKS ASS I am listening to it all the way through for the 3rd time in my office. That’s why I had to run out and grab it so i could listen to it at work all day of course haha. Good review Kris, I think it compares to Everything You Need with a little Closer to the Sun and actually Chronchitis, though it follows Chronchitis (not counting Slightly Stoned Enough to Eat Breakfast Yet Stoopid) with no punk. Part of what I love with the band is the punk, just a couple like on past couple albums is enough to keep me happy but will look forward to the supposively all punk online album they are suppose to one day drop. My favorites tracks outside of what will probably be some people’s favorite as follows
1. We Don’t Wanna Go. -Reminds me kind of somethnig like “Nobody Knows” from Chronchitis or ” On and On” from S.N.S.T.E.B.Y.S. albums. Who will agree that the Bass line is very close to what you hear off the Live album “Dancing Mood” Such a sick Bass line and that is what really attracts me to the song. Stoopid to me have their own unique flavor with Bass lines. Nobody and I mean nobody you hear sounds like Kyle and Miles with how they construct bass lines, at least in my opinion. Also great delayed vocals in the right places. This album is recorded crisp and sounds great.
2. Mona June- That tracks makes the tiny hairs on the back of my neck stand haha. Angela Hunte’s voice is wicked, and Stoopid couldn’t had created a cooler song involving her. Much props.
3. Serious Man – Such a great cover version they created. I’ve played that song out since having an older version awhile back. It’s basically the same track as the Live recording demo cut but you can tell was enhanced in the studio a bit.
4. I’m On Fire – They did Bruce’s song justice on this cover. The delay is so sick with Miles guitar and believe or not almost brings a softer side to Stoopid with the additional strings etc…
5. Way you Move- another sick track
6. Don’t Stop – to me represents everything from any Stoopid album. Another sick heavy heavy Bass line. (I’d throw “Top of the World” int here too with a what is Stoopid track).
7. Ur Love – another one we get with the great Barrington Levy. I even love when you hear him throw out Black Roses hahaha, a little tribute to his own.
I could keep going but this is fit more for an amazon review type page haha, as nothing sucks on this album, and no I wont leave out “SkaDiddy” with Angelo from FISHBONE, another stellar tack. The track “Just Thinking” with Chali 2 Na another sick calbo and list goes on as G.Love and the great Don Carlos kill it with their tracks. As you get further through the album, you get that “Comb for my Domb” bluesgrassy “Closer To The Sun” type guitar work and well you’ll know what songs I’m talking about. Sick just sick. Kyle just kiils it dude. Last but not least “Intro to Organics” A perfect ending to an almost perfect album. These guys all are talented musicians, and deserve everything sucess brings them.
I’m a 31 year old almost like a little kid at X-Mas excitied for anythnig new Stoopid drops. Another thing to keep people stoked is the TRI studios package we’ll soon be able to get in full. Was a pleasure seeing Stoopid and 311 last month in West Palm, but what would be a trip for me is to see them play in Indianapolis where I’m originally native of. Those kids are going to get a treat. It’s good for Stoopid to bring that Beach-Vibe reggae blues hip hop rock sound to the mid-west, where people are land-locked haha. Beach Boys of my generation, hands down, great music.
Awful. Slightly stoopid was one of the few bands I could consistently count on to release good albums. While MIles tracks were a bit better on this album than Chronchitis, Kyle’s tracks were incredibly dull and boring and overall the record had very few high points. Huge disappointment. Also, terrible review btw. Sure their sound might be more “mature” and full now but it appears it was their immaturity that created more simplistic and ultimately more truthful tracks.
Damn Scott for crying out loud man I just read your comment on Kris ‘s review hahaha but i hear in some tiny points, but damn… show no luv,? These are our Pier Reviews after all….Anyways to clear up with some friends raising hell YES there is technically PUNK on this album which by the way the little of it sounds fuckin rad. just makes me stoked for a whole STOOPID PUNK Album, they did this on purpose i know haha.
Yeah, has some great tunes but definitely not their best release. I’d give it 7.5/10. Rebelution and Dirty Heads are tied for best Reg-Rock album this year.
Pretty good review. I really love the album. It chills me out and honestly, I’ll never be able to get enough of the Stoopid sound.
Also, agreed with Jerrod up there. I’m on Fire is defs one of my favorite tracks on the whole album.
Definitely a sick album. Not as good as EYN or CTTS but up there a little better than Chronchitis. I will say this was better than the Dirty Heads release. I could not get into that album at all.