As Cruel As Schoolchildren,
Gym Class Heroes
Rapemo. Surely a whole new sub-genre the black-haired kids can salivate over? Ok, maybe I'm not being overly serious. But GHC's pop-rap-contemporary sound is certainly one which will inspire a stack of clones snapped up by eager record labels. Being linked to Pete Wentz in any way is almost a golden ticket in itself (as Ashlee Simpson can testify, according to Heat) so it's no surprise that Gym Class Heroes are getting a lot of interest right now. Sadly, I just don't feel this album is worthy of all the hype. Maybe the word hype isn't right - but there's certainly been a
lot of words written, and been said, about this record. And of course it even features labelmates Patrick Stumpf and William Beckett from The Academy is..., emphasising the need to take advantage of what's cool right now.
'As Cruel As School Children' starts off really well, but once 'Clothes Off' eminates from your speakers, it heads downhill relatively fast. The opening hit of 'The Queen and I' is certainly a highlight - Travis McCoy has a strong and amiable vocal style and, while I'm not a big fan of rapping, his style is fun and 'pop' enough for most people to enjoy. His lyrical tales don't break too much new ground, but then I guess he's coming from a stable of bands and artists also not famed for doing too much more than talking about good times, women and alcohol. And it's this mix which makes the MySpace-inspired 'New Friend Request' and aforementioned 'Clothes Off' so catchy and so much fun.
But from here on in things get weak. Over time the songs tend to blend in and because the initial tracks are so strong, they just don't compare as well. The lyrical topics stay on familiar ground, while the melodies and harmonies don't continue to be quite so strong. Don't get me wrong, this album never goes into 'bad' territory but it just doesn't continue to hit the high notes. And there's nothing quite as kitsch and fun as 'Taxi Driver'. If GCH had released this on pretty much any other label, I doubt it would be as successful as it inevitably will be. 'Clothes Off' will almost certainly be a hit - and possibly a big one - but the number of excellent moments can, disappointingly, only be counted on one hand.
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