Kottonmouth Kings

Eight years after their formation, rap/metal/punk hybrids Kottonmouth Kings arrive with the tightest album of their career in Rollin' Stoned. In the past, their albums were often uneven mixtures of the aforementioned genres with little more than a bad attitude connecting the tracks. But with singer Brad Daddy X stepping behind the boards after the dismal reaction to 2001's Hidden Stash, Vol. 2, the band seems more sonically united than they ever have before. Cutting most of their hard rock elements and focusing on a G-funk production style to carry their rhymes, Kottonmouth Kings let it all hang out on the 22 songs here. There's nothing really new, but they have managed to cut out many of the bad habits that plagued their music before and have put their best elements into focus. Good-time anthems like "Float Away" and "Positive Vibes" emphasize friendship and treasuring memories, a healthy message that adds an appropriate balance to the "dark" side of their sound. This "dark" side is undoubtedly dominant, featuring the pro-marijuana/anti-establishment vibe that has always been their trademark. But this time they attempt to drag some politics into the fray to back up their points, making tracks like "Zero Tolerance" actually introduce a little logic into the whole affair. This isn't exactly Billy Bragg, but the effort is appreciated when virtually every song deals with the topic in some way. If you've heard the band before, you know exactly what you're in for, but this is probably the best example of how effective this music can be. Besides, promoting good times, friendship, rebellion, and casual marijuana use means there is already a built-in audience for this album, but these listeners should know that Kottonmouth Kings put a lot of effort into making this their best album so far. ~ Bradley Torreano, All Music Guide