Culver City Dub Collective: Dos

Expectations are dangerous, particularly when one is called upon to listen with a fair and objective ear, and many may not be prepared for the leisurely, tropical vibe of Dos, the new release from Culver City Dub Collective.

Songwriters Adam Topol (drums, songwriting) and Franchot Tone (guitar, engineering) reel in unexpected guests like Ben Harper, Jack Johnson, and Money Mark to help create said vibe. There’s a lot more treble and treacle than one might expect from an outfit with “dub” in their name.

This isn’t paranoid, head-tripping dub; it’s dub with the reggae stirred back in along with some bossa nova, Afro-Cuban jazz, and slacker pop. “No More My Love” is sweetly surreal, and “Waltz for Tomahawk” is a fun, chaotic big-band pastiche.

If you’re looking for a record to play while you fall asleep in a hammock and sip the fruity summer cocktail of your choice, you could certainly do a lot worse than Dos. Just be sure to calibrate your expectations accordingly.

- Lyam White
Culver City Dub Collective (Everloving, Inc.)