Valet - Naked Acid (2008)

Valet - Naked Acid (2008)

Acid trips. Marijuana leaves. Dark rooms illuminated by lava lamps. The New Age book section. Dreadlocks. Grateful Dead posters. Tie-dye shirts. Sun dresses. Birkenstocks. The entire city of Sedona, Arizona. The word "ethereal". People who talk slow. Body odor. Overgrown facial hair. Arthur Magazine. Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle. Incense. That one episode of the Simpsons where Homer eats the Guatemalan chili peppers at the chili cook-off. These are just a few of the things that come to mind when listening to he free-form, psychedelic soundscapes on Naked Acid.

This is such a stoner album that I'm not sure that listening to it sober really gets me to the heart of it. But from a sober standpoint, it's not too shabby. The first three songs work especially well. The aptly named "We Went There" opens the door to the otherworldliness of the album, "Drum Movie" eases you into the new environment, and by the time "Kehaar" comes around, you're completely settled in and enjoying the ride.

Ironically enough, things start to fall apart with the song "Fuck It": a confusing, meandering song that goes nowhere and leaves you frustrated afterward (I'll spare the innuendo). From there, Naked Acid is never quite able to regain it's footing. Perhaps like any relationship built around drugs, you soon realize that there wasn't much substance there to begin with (substances, yes, but not substance). "Fire" sort of begins to pick up the pieces, but only if you're still in the mood to pay attention by that time.

All in all, a decent effort. Though I can't help but imagine how much better it would've been had Valet laid off the hash a little.


Score: 6/10


"Kehaar"


"Fire"