This album also contains the track "Applied Science", which is a staple in 311's live show and has included a full-band drum solo since 2000.

[6] Sandra Schulman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel chastised Grassroots for resembling "Beastie Boys meets the Spin Doctors", writing that while musical fusion is a "fine" template to work from, the album is unsuccessful for reminding them of the musical styles of other musicians, rather than presenting "something new to groove on".

[8] Rodo Pocowatchit of The Wichita Eagle also drew comparisons to the Beastie Boys and Chili Peppers, as well as "a dash of Faith No More", but noted that the further incorporation of reggae, funk and hip hop flavours and "biting, mile-a-minute lyrics" made Grassroots feel "as raw as any urban underground from-the-gut record", and praised the group's energy and tone.

[9] Retrospectively, Jacob N. Lunders of AllMusic selected Grassroots as an "Album Pick" and wrote that it was 311's artistic peak and one of 1994's most underrated records, adding that it "evenly balancing the band's rap-metal intensity with reggae vibrations, Grateful Dead-like jams, and hallucinogenic ambience."

He recommended it to fans of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Rage Against the Machine and Sublime, but also noted how the album "artistically ignores corporate rock's temptations of conformity, which consequently threaten the possibility of mainstream airplay.