Loping reggae rhythms spiked with the occasional heavy blues guitar riff. Beachfront crooning inter-cut with Caribbean-style rapping. Lyrics about drinking too much on a Sunday and then finding "Peace of Mind. A pop-punk tune titled "The Bong Song." There's a jack-of-all-trades feel to this self-titled debut disc by Clearwater trio Offshore Riot, but for the most part it works as a serviceable seaside soundtrack. One disturbing aspect: Despite the feel-good sound of the music, frontman Tyson Marshall's lyrics often take listeners down a path that rings false on numbers such as "My Gun," where he sings "My gun, my gun, my shiny little gun/ You have all the fun." 2.5 stars
This article appears in Mar 21-27, 2007.