Dirty Heads - Super Moon (2019)

Let's be fair: California's Dirty Heads serve a purpose. The five-piece band from Huntington Beach make music that seems scientifically engineered for keg parties, summer cookouts, and convertible beach cruising. Their sound is also a 21st century update of oft-maligned third-wave ska (although with more of an emphasis on reggae), where bands like Sublime, Less Than Jake, and the Long Beach Dub All-Stars tamped down Clinton-era ennui with chill grooves and plenty of weed-soaked vibes.

While it may seem strange to revisit this genre that virtually sprung out of nowhere a quarter-century ago, Dirty Heads have managed, with their latest album, to provide a sonic update that gives it a bit more depth. Just a bit. Super Moon may contain a heap of derivative sounds that seem cobbled together from earlier bands, but a unique approach sets it apart from that pack. For their seventh album, the band enlisted a top-shelf producer. The hiring of Dave Cobb, best known for his work with acclaimed artists such as Sturgill Simpson and Jason Isbell, may initially signal a substantial genre shift. But vocalist Jared Watson was quick to quell those suspicions in the album's press release: "We're not making a fuckin' country album!" It seems like an unnecessarily defensive declaration, especially since sounding like Messrs Simpson and Isbell could hardly be considered a bad thing.