On their eighth album, the Leaving Trains laud the glories of marijuana and turn their jangly power punk locomotive toward the garage. The vocals are often laden with effects, and the usually clean sound is given a big hit of reverb. But that doesn't change singer/guitarist Falling James' approach, which could definitely challenge the Minutemen in his commitment to brevity. Unfortunately, largely lost in the haze is James' sharp wit and incisive writing. Too often this sounds like it could be the first album of a hard-partying local garage band, rather than the polished effort of a 15-year rock vet of a hard-rocking party punk band. There are some salvageable moments, such as the crisp and pointed "Now I'm Mad," in which James taunts, "You used to be a rebel, or maybe it was just the clothes/You used to hate the rich, I guess that was just a pose," the hyperactive "Extra Vagrant," and the rambling country-folk of "Smoke Follows Beauty," sounding wildly out of place and yet appropriate, like the Beat Farmers on a punk revival bill. The best song doesn't appear until the next to last track, not surprising for the Trains, when James does his best Lou Reed imitation on "Sugarcaning," intoning, "I've got a sweet sweet heart." Too few inspired moments and too many insipid ones. Let's hope this isn't the swansong, because it's a sad way to go out.