And how! As Crazy Baldhead he knows no boundaries and is ready for bold experiments.
How come, members of The Slackers, one of the busiest bands out there, find time and energy for other projects? There are countless solo albums of Vic Ruggiero not to even mention him being one-third of the supergroup Reggae Workers Of The World. Dave Hillyard on regular basis puts out new music with his Rocksteady 7 and never says no to guest appearances on other artists’ recordings. The amount of music in which members of The Slackers took part can overwhelm.
Jayson Nugent is no exception. Although a bit hidden on stage when touring with The Slackers, he is the main figure in Crazy Baldhead. I can’t imagine a better name for this project (and I don’t mean his haircut) – Agent Jay realizes any crazy idea he wants. Have you ever wondered how would major hits from 1969 sound if they were composed in Jamaica? No problem – “The Sound Of ’69”. Or maybe you also miss the voice of The Frightnrs’ vocalist Daniel Klein? He’s the lead singer on “Boots Embraces”, and “Shirin” might be one of his most touching performances. Rules are simple – no rules. Crazy Baldhead records what he wants, how he wants, and with whom he wants.
Crazy Baldhead – Go Oasis
Where does he take us this time? Already cover of “Go Oasis” gives us a good clue. Desert, Joshua trees, car speeding in the direction of some unknown oasis. We’ll get some open spaces, chill, and… well yes, we’ll get some psychedelia. Of course, it’s all blended with Jamaican rhythms and proportions are well-chosen. It seems that great production and rich but subtle arrangements (oh, this sweet vibraphone in background) make already the first listen such fun.
Like any other previous Crazy Baldhead records, this also is almost swollen from the amount of guests. This guy just knows everyone and his tentacles reach further and further, as beside crème de la crème of New York scene you’ll find here names like Victor Rice and Roger Rivas. This time around there are fewer singers than before, which is only for the better, making the album more consistent. It opens with the voice of his frequent collaborator – Maddie Ruthless, but only with the second song “Hey Monday” featuring Vic Ruggiero (you guessed it, Dave Hillyard is also present) the album reaches its wonderful laid-back tempo, just like the first working day after an intense weekend. This feeling of escaping hectic reality is even more intensified when L. Marie Cook sings that she would like to stowaway somewhere far from here. She is the one who gives this record a psychedelic touch. She, and Agent Jay’s guitar with maxed out tremolo effect, which will come back in a few more songs. Surprisingly, with this relaxed unreal mood throughout the album it passes quite fast and just after the last note of closing “Go Oasis Adventure Theme” you feel like playing it all over again.
It’s worth mentioning how this album was released, as it’s the latest entry in a growing catalog of fresh founded Badasonic Records. A pretty heavy vinyl has a good quality inner sleeve with record company logo printed on it. It’s obvious that they don’t cut corners on quality, and they do keep consistent and well-designed layout. A small leaflet with a download code is also included. With 5th LP in their catalog Badasonic Records starts to be a serious player in reggae business, especially by keeping the high repertoire and production standards.
Coincidently “Go Oasis” was released just in time to cool us down in these strange times. It will not only make you relaxed but also take you somewhere where all this craziness is just not happening. Without a doubt, it’s the best and most consistent Crazy Baldhead’s album.
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