Let’s hope Angus Stone’s mother doesn’t listen closely to Dope Lemon’s second album, though, given the project’s name, references to drugs and drink may not surprise her.
On Hey You, whose woozy guitars recall fellow Australians Swazi Gold’s recent debut, he sounds so lethargic singing of “Staying out late/ Gonna get drunk” he could be dozing, and though Salt & Pepper cautions “I got the cocaine flame in my brain,” this makes little difference to his pace.
Lonely Boy’s Paradise, however, switches to a gentle Kurt Vile trot, while Dope & Smoke adds congas for a beachside vibe, and the title track’s backwards string effects and droning guitars underline its slinky nature. Girlish playfulness from ex-girlfriend, actress Isabel Lucas, on the lo-fi, acoustic Hey Man, Don’t Look At Me Like That crowns this charmingly fried collection of songs.
8/10
Wyndham Wallace