VARIOUS ARTISTS
Grass (Mercury)
Reviewed by John Sekerka

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Documentary guru Ron Mann tackles the deadly weed, reefer, the roach, Mary Jane, the herb .... you know, the stuff yer hippie parents cough and laugh to every night. Before the celluloid version makes it's way here, you'll have to make do with an appetizing sampler in the form of a soundtrack. "Grass" is a fab collection of weed tunes punctuated by snicker-inducing sound bites from propaganda classics like "Before long, Marty was hooked", "Parents Beware" and "Don't Do It". Spanning seven decades, starting with Cab Calloway's "Reefer Man" (1932), Greed is a smooth listen that brings classic rock (Quicksilver Messenger Service's "Fresh Air"), reggae (Peter Tosh's "Legalize it"), folk (John Prine's "Illegal Smile") and rap (Method Man's "How High") together in one giddy listening party. The only tune missing is Jesse Winchester's "Twigs and Seeds", though yer folks won't care.

© 2000 - John Sekerka