The Good Times

AMG Review of The Good Times

Stephen Thomas Erlewine
All Music Guide

"Because I Got High" is one of those genius, perfectly conceived and executed singles that seems to arise from the ether as if it has always been there. Sparely instrumented, recorded so nonchalantly it's hard to believe that anybody believed that the tape was rolling, it's a riot -- it's not just a frat rock anthem, it's a logical, brilliant record, escalating from verse to verse, with its consciously off-handed comments still capable of eliciting extreme laughter on the 20th spin. It's so good, in fact, that it's easy to expect that the rest of Afroman's The Good Times is of a similar caliber. The full-length is in the same vein as the hit, and is fairly well produced, but it just doesn't have the spark that makes "Because I Got High" such an intoxicating, irresistible single. So, if you're looking just for that song, you're better off with the Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back soundtrack, because at least with that you get Jason Mewes' brilliant updating of "Jay's Rap."