~There are heads all over the globe that are floating in a cloud of dub, reggae, ska, psychedelic tempos together and smiling~
Land of Pleasure by Sticky Fingers is a cheerful record that’s on a druggy, experimental level. This album from the looks and feels goes further from their reggae roots and sides more with the goofier Mac Demarco taste, but without losing their staple reggae off beats and staccato chords. You end up on a floating cloud wondering how you made it to the sun. Land of Pleasure may not be their best or solidly put together, nothing like their 2013, chart topping, Caress Your Soul, but the singles on this one will catch your ears. They sound solid as a band, each song bringing a unique ear twist.
The first two tracks seem to put you in your place, where SF wants you to be, on the happiness cloud. What follows however, is "Just For You” a terribly jarring track that brings up horrible emo feelings, similar to the Jacks Mannequin, taking us away from the essence of the whole album. The next track, “Rum Rage” makes up for it though. Waves of dream-like 90's rock similar to the Red Hot Chili Peppers bring us back down to the ground. This leads us into the Peter Bjorn and John’s Writer’s Block-era sound present in the upbeat “Gold Snafu.”
A confused euphoria hits us in the songs shortly after. “Liquorlip Loaded Gun” has the first line, “I wish I could disappear,” which spells out the rest of the album. We are sunk into a lull of funky reggae vibes where all you want to do is smoke a fat one. There is no limit to the different tastes and interests that are included later on in this album. Switching from artists like Pepper and Jamie T, throwing in some Tame Impala and Arctic Monkeys for good measure; there is no limit to their sound. Lastly, “Lazerhead” brings us to a cute, reminiscent end, hope lingering on the sunset.
Mostly, is this album a joke? With lead singer Dylan Frost just chillaxing with a kitten on the cover and no one giving answers, we will never know. All we know now is that Land of Pleasure is for not only your ganja soul but for all the souls we can gather, putting them into a melting pot, and sending them to space.
