Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Music Review: Gym Class Heroes: The Quilt






7.5/10


Popular Alt Rock/Hip Hop playboys, Gym Class Heroes, have enjoyed an almost whirlwind year, starting with the breathrough of their popular single "Cupid's Chokehold", and the charismatic leadership of frontman and MC Travis McCoy. Where the band lacks in a real definition of their genre, they gain in their pertinent anthems about, pretty much anything someone from 16-25 could understand.

"The Quilt" sees the band embrace more of their hip hop stylings, teaming with Cool & Dre, who frequently team with artists like Fat Joe and Lil' Wayne, Tricky Stewart and R&B act The-Dream. The result is ultimately mixed, as it is in direct conflict with the more traditional underground pop style that they have carved a niche out of. Songs like the first single "Cookie Jar" (featuring The-Dream) are nice diversions, yet "Kissing Ears" (also...featuring The-Dream) is bordering on corny. Cool & Dre seem to understand the band more, and thus fare better with "Peace Sign/Index Down" and "Home" where their production compliments the groups weaknesses.

The rest of "Quilt" is pretty much by the numbers, aside from the new risks the band takes with production. "Blinded By The Sun" features Patrick Stump from Fall Out Bou is sure to be the new anthem for the anthem, and "Catch Me If You Can" follows the formula the band set when they worked closely with Stump. Perhaps the most perplexing feature on the album isnt a The-Dream or Lil' Wayne (whose verse on "Dont Tell Me Its Over" is suspiciously missing), but Daryl Hall from Hall & Oates on the 7 minute "Live Forever (Fly With Me)". It's almost as if the gods of pop rock/soul are handing off the reigns to the next generation...a distinction that GCH are glad to take.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

hmmmmm....I was hoping your review would make me want to go get the album....I was skeptical at first....and I still am....I love "Cookie Jar" though....

...well written review nonetheless

Anonymous said...

I've never been able to enjoy Gym Class Heroes. Their tunes are catchy, but there's no substance in anything I've ever heard by them. This review sums it up pretty well. Some of the songs definitely have potential as radio hits, but for the most part it's all misses.
Judging from the review itself I think you were pretty generous in the rating you gave the album.

Johnny5Optimus said...

I felt as though they made the necessary changes to their production style with the addition of Cool & Dre, I implore anyone to at least check out download the "Dont Tell Me It's Over", its one of Travis' best songs.

But i will agree that they played it SUPER safe.

 

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