Slightly Stoopid’s Miles Doughty and Kyle McDonald were signed to Sublime mastermind Brad Nowell’s Skunk imprint while still in high school, and did two albums for the label, Slightly Stoopid in 1996 and Longest Barrel Ride two years later. While the sound back then was SoCal skatepunk influenced by thrash elements and copious amounts of weed, by 2001 and Acoustic Roots: Live and Direct Doughty and McDonald’s playing and singing had matured considerably. By 2003 and Everything You Need they were rocking a California-centric sound of loopy sampledelic pop, hip-hop influence, sunny marijuana affirmations, and the occasional return to raucous skatepunk. In 2005 Slightly Stoopid released their most accomplished album to date, Closer to the Sun. The record mixed dub and reggae influences with light hip-hop and an easy groove — on tracks like “Ain’t Got a Lot of Money,” Doughty and McDonald suggested Jack Johnson fronting Fun Lovin’ Criminals.
– Johnny Loftus
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