Welcome to the Exclusive Premiere of Slightly Stoopid’s new song “This Version”. This is the second track off their new album Meanwhile… Back At The Lab set to drop 6/30/15 via their own Stoopid Records.
Single Premiere: Slightly Stoopid – “This Version”
“This Version” was produced by Roger Rivas, organ player for The Aggrolites, at his own Rivas Studios in Los Angeles, CA and Platinum Sound in New York City, NY. Guitarist/Bassist/Vocalist Kyle McDonald provides vocals over the new reggae jammer that you can hear below.
Here’s what Kyle had to say regarding the track: “It’s a big blessing and honor for us to get the opportunity and pleasure of collaborating with one of our favorite musicians and friends, Roger Rivas, from the Aggrolites. Roger describes his production of sound as if ‘Dr. Dre and Sir Coxsone Dodd got together to murder it in Studio One’.”
While you listen to “This Version” read about the album below…
Meanwhile… Back At The Lab
Meanwhile… Back At The Lab shows the group working with multiple producers, including a couple of Sublime‘s original principle writers with Miguel Happoldt and Marshal Goodman contributing production. Miguel applied production for the song “Life Rolls On”, while Marshall, aka Ras MG, produced “The Prophet” and “Time Wont Wait”. He also provided drum programming to “Life Rolls On”. Additional production comes courtesy of George Spits for Llamabeats (“Dabbington”, “Fades Away”, “Guns In Paradise”), and Jerry Wonda (“Come Around”).
This is the groups 8th studio album containing 14 total tracks; 15 if you count the iTunes bonus. There are fewer guest appearances on this album than we’re use to with previous Stoopid releases. Grammy Award winner Angela Hunte provides vocals to the track “Bright Days” while Beardo is on the albums lone punk rock track, “F*ck You”. Angela Hunte also sings back-up vocals over songs “What Your Friends Say”, and “Come Around” in addition to co-writing and providing back up vocals for “Call Me Crazy”. Vocalist Jesse Wagner of The Aggrolites provides back-up vocals to “Hold It Down” a long with additional keyboards by Roger Rivas.
When asked about “One Bright Day,” Angela said, “I thought it was one of the most beautiful melodies I ever heard. Kyle and I talked about a collaboration for a while and I knew this was it. ‘One Bright Day’ is a song about hope and never giving up when faced with adversity.”
The title and album cover reference the band’s San Diego warehouse studio (The Lab at Stoopid Studios), where they have been working on numerous creative and collaborative projects.
Here’s what Marshall told us about his contribution to the album: “I produced one track for their album. It’s a remake of a song from their album ‘Slightly $toopid’ named ‘Prophet’. It’s a song with a pretty impressive history – I was excited to be a part of the remake. Courtney Adams played the guitars and bass and I did the drum programming, percussion, scratches, and arrangement.”
For those not familiar, “The Prophet” is an old Slightly Stoopid song first featured on their first album that included Sublime’s Brad Nowell on bass. The song was later covered by Sublime and re-released on Sublimes box-set Everything Under The Sun in 2008. “The Prophet” can also be heard on Stoopid’s Acoustic Roots: Live & Direct as the song was originally written by Miles Doughty.
When I asked Marshall what sort of style or production he brought to the remake, he explained: “I’m still pushing the ‘Bluesman’-inspired style that Courtney Adams and I began developing years ago. It’s our interpretation of the “Bluesman” attitude in a modern context. The drum programming I’ve been focused on in recent times is based in Hip Hop, the ‘Boom Bap’ style specifically, and I keep to the same style-type for my scratches.”
[Related: Behind The Beat: Miles Doughty – Slightly Sporty In S.D.]
As the press release reads, the forthcoming album was recorded at the band’s studio; as well as at Platinum Sound, NYC; Rivas Studios, L.A.; Mixdown Town LBC, Long Beach, CA; and was self-produced by the band along with The Lab’s in-house maestro James Wisner. At one juncture, the band came straight off a flight from their South American Tour to NYC, where producer Jerry Wonda (The Fugees, Wyclef Jean) engineered an impromptu late night/early morning session at Platinum Sound, yielding the collaborative “Come Around.”
You can Pre-order Slightly Stoopid’s new album Meanwhile… Back At The Lab by clicking HERE!
You will receive “Life Rolls On”, “The Prophet” and “One Bright Day” right away.
(There’s an awesome Vinyl/CD/Shirt/Digital Combo for only $42.00).
Slightly Stoopid – “The Prophet”
Slightly Stoopid – “Life Rolls On”
Slightly Stoopid – “One Bright Day” (ft. Angela Hunte)
Slightly Stoopid is Kyle McDonald (guitar, bass, vocals), Miles Doughty (guitar, bass, vocals), Ryan “Rymo” Moran (drums), Oguer “OG” Ocon (percussion), Daniel “Dela” Delacruz (saxophone), Paul Wolstencroft (keyboards), Andy Geib (trumpet, trombone) with special guest and “unofficial 8th member” Karl Denson (The Rolling Stones/Greyboy Allstars) on saxophone.
Related Links:
Slightly Stoopid Website
Slightly Stoopid Facebook
Exclusive Slightly Stoopid Blog
Article By: Mike Patti
WATCH: Slightly Stoopid – Behind The Scenes From The Lab
