Album Review: Gym Class Heroes - The Quilt
So I’ve been wondering who the hell Gym Class Heroes are for some time now. People just keep telling me about them. It’s usually someone who, knowing I’m into the hippity hop, says something like, “Yeah, I’ve broadened my horizons a bit. I’m even into some hip hop… like Gym Class Heroes are pretty cool.” Then they talk to me about N.E.R.D. and they lose me because I don’t like N.E.R.D. Plus, the hip hop people always wrinkle up their noses when they are mentioned, so I decided to follow their lead and wrinkle my nose up, too.
Then came the out-of-left-field tour news of the year. Gym Class Heroes, along with Estelle, will be opening for The Roots this fall. So that’s it… they are opening for The Roots, they rap, and they are the face of hip hop to a segment of the population not too familiar with the genre. As the editor of a hip hop website, I am obligated to listen to their new album.
So I started listening to the album. It was about what I expected. A lot of cheesiness, well-known guest stars, and live instruments, which explains why the people discussed in the first paragraph are so into Gym Class Heroes. Then I hit track seven, the abysmal single “Cookie Jar”, and I realized I needed to take a break. I went and scrubbed my toilet and listened to Okkervil River for a little while. Then I came back and listened to the track with Lil’ Wayne. It’s sort of funny because you can hear him revving up that damn autotuner about a minute before he starts kind-of rapping. That a boy Weezy… save your A-material for another record.
My snobby side wanted to write a really mean-spirited review, detailing all the hilarious reasons why nobody anywhere should listen to this album. But I’m not going to do that. The truth is, I don’t hate Gym Class Heroes. There are not many artists I can say that I truly hate. That’s why I’m no good at being a music critic. But even though I do not particularly enjoy this group’s brand of inoffensive pop-rap, and probably will not listen to them again until the day their next album is released, I do recognize their right to exist and even think that they serve a valuable purpose within the hip hop world. So I’m going to give them a low score, but I’m not going to say too many negative things about them.
Gym Class Heroes seem to have made their name through genre-hopping. They root themselves in a hip hop base and then, through the aforementioned live instrumentation, touch on a wide variety of styles that lead rock purists to refer to them as “rap that’s actually pretty good” and those who don’t know anything about music at all to refer to them as “musically adventurous.” “Blinded by the Sun” has a bit of a reggae feel to it and there is nothing even remotely hip hop about the straight-up emo rock of “Live a Little” and “No Place to Run.” “Home” begins with a whole bunch of guitar noodling before lead singer/rapper Travis McCoy jumps in and the group puts together what turns out to be a semi-enjoyable track. But the album’s prime WTF moment comes when “Live Forever”, a seven-minute plus ballad that I’m sure is being described by somebody as “touching,” ends in a couple minutes of soulful singing from Darryl Hall of Hall & Oates.
Lyrically speaking, The Quilt doesn’t have a lot of material worth writing home about. Some of the songs touch on emotional issues, such as the daddy tribute track “Like Father, Like Son (Papa’s Song)”, but McCoy lacks the thematic depth, lyrical cleverness, and linguistic ability to make very much compelling material. Though I suppose they do deserve credit for putting out an album with overly positive messages.
The most surprising aspect of The Quilt is how many major rap players lent their expertise to its making. For a group whose fan base probably identifies more with Fall Out Boy than with 50 Cent, Gym Class Heroes landed a respectable number of hip hop guests, including Lil’ Wayne, Busta Rhymes (whose album doesn’t Busta guest on these days?), and producers Cool & Dre. Additional production is provided by The-Dream and… Fall Out Boy’s Patrick Stump.
The Quilt is what it is. Gym Class Heroes are pop rap. They are more a part of the pop punk community than the hip hop community and for that the hip hop snobs will either hate them or pay them no attention. In thirty years rap music has progressed from Bronx street corners into every corner of the world, bringing hip hop culture with it. And with a global following comes splintering in which people from all different walks of life put their own spin on the culture, molding it to reflect their own personalities and world views. To keep this global culture moving forward, artists like Chuck D, Nas, and KRS-One must share their umbrella with groups like Gym Class Heroes, even if they don’t particularly enjoy their music.
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Paper chronicles was a great album by Gym Class Heroes, but my favorite is As Cruel as School Children. Although some of the songs are a bit corny alot of them like the story telling of his poems in Sloppy Love Jingles and Scandolous Scholastics, to his more slowed down tracks like Viva La White Girl, and On my Own Time. But The Fall Out Boy song had me hooked (Take Your Clothes Off!) This was there best album so if u really want to get a taste of Hip Hop in my opinion this would be the album.
Ur Review was atleast a little positive. Not bad in any way. I hated that album too, I still went out and bought it thinking it would be just like the first 2 but was wrong. Once they find there voice again i’m sure they will come out with something ridiculous like they use to do.
Here’s my theory, on papercut chronicles, there were maybe 2 songs made for the mtv audience, and the rest was the band and travis actually expressing themselves, over time it seems like more and more of the cd is diverted to the mtv audience liking. unfortunately, alot of their fans from pc, are not in the mtv audience
First off, I think its cool that the author of this article was so passive in expressing his dislike about the album instead of writing some scathing review. Personally, I feel that GCH has gone downhill since Papercut Chronicles, but I don’t think that they are terrible by any means. They seem to have lost touch with what they used to be, which was likely caused by increasing fame and pressure to conform. I respect them, however, simply for the fact that they perform with great spirit, and they kick ass live, which is a huge selling point for me.
Thanks Will…not sure I’ll drop the money on “Papercut Chronicles” but I’ll definitely give it a spin.
I just want to say if you like soulful hop hop then get the album “The Papercut Chronicles” by them. Their new stuff is so incredibly bad, though that album is good beyond words. Its baffling how these guys got so bad. I’m sure the guy who wrote this wont read this comment but if you do please get that album, its waht hip hop is.
upon second though…with the direction McCoy is trying to take the “band” its not overproduced its just right
also..would like to say though I do disagree with your statements about the album, it was very well written, so I have to give you credit there, and the new album is in my opinion over produced, just like their last one….though I guess we mostly all lose the bands we love eventually
Thanks Weirdfishes…I was unaware how deep their connection really was.
I actually read up a little about Darryl Hall and it seems he is all over the place right now.
Haha…very nicely done. I will take your well worded dispute to heart. You are correct. My shallowness astounds even me. Only someone shallow like myself could possibly dislike this album.
Though I must say…I actually thought I said a lot of nice things about the album. I actually went out of my way to not come across as negative. Oh well…though I have no idea what Lil Wayne has to do with anything.
on the Hall and Oates thing… the lead singer is actually a HUGE fan of them, and the band actually recorded a whole smash up cd with Hall that will never see the light of day due to record label bs, and a few tours back they had the “Darryl Hall for President Tour”
also…if your looking for something a little bit darker, Papercut Chronicles is quite a different tone
and so what if they wear tight pants.
Wayne wears fucking tight jeans.
shallow review.
Wow, this is a really bad review just focusing on negatives.
I think this is a great album.
extremely musical. Much more talented than lil Wayne or anyone like that.
they actually play instruments and and song writers. Unlike Wayne they don’t just write words and some random producer makes beats for them. they are songwriter
Unlike wayne, they’re are a few tracks where the people actually sing. not this stupid auto tune crap. I can’t believe T-Pain wears a shirt that says “He Sings”. blows my mind. guys a fool.
Great album, combines many genres. don’t hate.
their first 2 albums are way better than the “quilt”. This think is like a travis solo album. the others were more a band.
Love the review. The kids actually call them “emo-rap,” as they were “discovered” by Wentz & crew (whatever that means). Plus, most of the dudes in the band have emo-cuts and wear tight jeans.
I actually dug their first album and a lot of the second. “Clothes Off” is just such a guilty pleasure type of song. I caught them at the First Unitarian Church a few years back (an exceptional place to catch any band - particularly if you like the basement show feel) and they were a lot of fun.
That being said, if anyone was on the fence about whether they should take GCH seriously, I think seeing Hall & Oates listed might help sway them. I’m all for experimental collaborations. However, until I hear/read a good explanation for that choice, I’m going to have a hard time not believing that the band was going for PR/media attention with that one.