The Good Times

Afroman

T-Bones / Universal Records, 2001

http://www.afromanmusic.com

REVIEW BY: Christopher Thelen

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: 09/04/2001

Controversy sometimes is the only reason some acts ever get any attention from the public. Let's be honest - if it hadn't been because of MTV's reluctance to air the video for "Because I Got High," would anyone actually have ever heard of Afroman?

The Good Times, Afroman's latest release, suggests to me that someone at the label had to have gotten hold of some bad shit to allow a disc like this to be released. At one time, this would have been considered a "party record" and would have been sold under the counter to a limited group of people. Part 2 Live Crew and part High Times put to music, you almost have to be high to enjoy this absolute piece of crap.

Afroman's style of music is minimal, usually with only a sparse drum track, bass line and occasional guitar or organ to fill in the background. Musically, he walks the line between r&b, soul and rap while sounding suspiciously like Humpty-Hump from Digital Underground.my_heart_sings_the_harmony_web_ad_alt_250

Regrettably, that's about the nicest thing I can say about The Good Times. If it wasn't for MTV hedging on the video for "Because I Got High," this disc would have died a quick death. Alternating between accolades for marajuana, getting drunk and sexual descriptions that would make Luther Campbell proud, Afroman is a half-assed 2 Live Crew wannabe.

What I want to know is, who the fuck decided that "Because I Got High" was a single, for God's sake? A song with a basic chord structure and almost no rhythm track, while Afroman rues everything that's happened since he lit up - all the while still promoting smoking pot, despite what MTV might say - in a civilized world, this one never would have seen life past the cutting room floor of the recording studio. Sometimes, I think the only thing that separates us from the times of Caligula is that they didn't have cable TV.

Everything you've tried to protect your kids from - songs about drug use ("Because I Got High," "Tumbleweed"), drinking ("Let's All Get Drunk," "Tall Cans" - Christ, where's Jesse Jackson when we actually need him?) and loose sex ("Crazy Rap," "She Won't Let Me ....") - it's here on The Good Life. And, strangely enough, if Afroman had actually had solid musical tracks and dropped the studio goofing off masquerading as songs, I might have been able to stomach this disc. (And, I swear, if this asshole clucks like a chicken one more time, I'm gonna tie him to a chair and make him listen to Ray Stevens's "In The Mood" for a month straight. See how funny it is now?)

If all this wasn't bad enough, The Good Times comes with a bonus video (which I didn't even bother with) and - oh, God, help us - a bonus, extended version of "Because I Got High" tacked onto the end of the disc. If I had a firearm, I would have pulled an Elvis at this point and shot my speakers out.

Oh - and as for that go-nowhere rant on "The American Dream"? Four words: shut the hell up. 'Nuff said.

The Good Times is not only a waste of hard-earned money, but I'm willing to bet that some more deserving band wasn't offered a contract because some Einstein chose to release this album. It's time to resurrect Nancy Reagan's old line; when it comes to Afroman, just say no.

Rating: F

User Rating: Not Yet Rated


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© 2001 Christopher Thelen and The Daily Vault. All rights reserved. Review or any portion may not be reproduced without written permission. Cover art is the intellectual property of T-Bones / Universal Records, and is used for informational purposes only.