Perhaps not since Necro's Death Rap has an album been named more appropriately than Devin the Dude's new street album/mixtape, Smoke Sessions Vol. 1. From the first strains of "If I Did A Mixtape," in which Devin assumes the role of a R&B lothario, belting out X-rated non sequiturs ("Lay your head on my dildo / And bitch relax"), you may begin to wonder if what follows is literally a collection of songs that Devin threw together in the studio while smoking weed.
As it turns out, that assessment would be spot on. If Dave Chappelle could rap, this is basically the album you would imagine him making -- a THC-induced collection of lewd parodies, spaced-out streams-of-consciousness, and posse cuts with some dudes who call themselves the "Coughee Brothaz." As a concept, this type of album could prove disastrous. But just like "Half-Baked," it beats the odds and sort of works.
Devin's laidback production, conversational flow, and tongue-in-cheek sense of humor hold the mixtape together, as it meanders through a collection of songs exclusively about women and weed (often together). "Searching," a psychedelic dirge about being lost in the woods, is a standout track that rivals Lil Wayne's "Dying" for utter weirdness. "Makin' It Hard," on the other hand, sees the Houston MC in his staple storytelling mode, recounting a tale of courtship with characteristic bawdiness: "Girl them titties so big and them nipples so hard / I see ‘em pointing at me even if it's dark."
In terms of replay value, Smoke Sessions Vol. 1 will probably be forgotten as quickly as Devin probably forgot about making it. But as a soundtrack to a lazy afternoon or a "smoke session" of your own, it's certainly an enjoyable listen.
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