Gym Class Heroes - 'The Quilt' (Atlantic) Released 15/09/08

The Gym Class Heroes are music. They’re not hip-hop. They’re not rock. They’re not pop. They combine all genres of music to create their own off-key but nameless genre. While rap fans embrace what they do, emo kids love them too. Travis, Matt, Disashi, and Eric are regular guys with aspirations of changing the world. They’re not looking to stop wars or halt the recession. They just want people to enjoy their music and hope that the product they put out can help at least one person get through their day, whether they’re working a 9-5 or are unemployed. Bottom line: these guys make music for the people; the regular Joe’s, the Joe Bloggs, and the Jane Doe’s.

Back for another bite at commercial success, the New York foursome knock out all contenders with the 14-track epileptic ram raid that is their new album 'The Quilt'. Up-tempo, thoughtful, insane, dance-worthy, and elevating are all words that could be used to describe the band’s third official release. With high profile celebrity guest spots, which include Busta Rhymes, Estelle, The Dream, and of course Fall Out Boy’s Patrick Stump, aiding the fellas in experimenting with the occasional musical direction change, there’s an unexpected vibrancy felt when listening to it.

While the Gym Class Heroes are renowned for their adolescent antics and free-for-all party marathons, maturity makes an appearance on both ‘Don’t Tell Me It’s Over’ and ‘Live Forever (Fly With Me)’. Both cuts hear the band speak out on adult relations and the hate they’ve experienced over the past few years as the GCH. And after a few listens you’re absorbed in to a heart wrenching war that you can’t truly comprehend without hitting the rewind button a couple of times. Emotionally adept, these songs are the reason why consumers need to make it their duty to pick up this album.

Still off-the-wall, joints like the album’s first single, ‘Cookie Jar’, and second single, ‘Peace Sign/Index Down’, mirror the energetic delivery of past hits ‘Clothes Off’ and ‘Taxi Driver’.  Each with their own identity, Travis does what he does best – act a damn fool whilst spitting hard hitting lyrics over an array of equally rock solid beats. Aside from these erratically comical singles, ‘Like Father, Like Son (Papa’s Song)’ is an ode to Travis’ father with room for you the listener to dedicate it to your own dad. True and to the point, the song touches upon He-Man toys, evil ‘step mom’s’, and wanting to be on the cover of “Rolling Stone” magazine. If you’re an eighties baby and have much respect for your father and what he did to help you get to where you are today, the words coming out of Travis’ mouth will hit you somewhere you didn’t think existed.

The odd piece of not-so-hard-hitting production, heard on ‘Coming Clean’ and ‘Catch Me If You Can, are the only slow starters when it comes to 'The Quilt'. Even still, this album is incredibly diverse and oozes a very established sound. While 'As Cruel As School Children' was more of an energetic offering, this release unites more musical elements than a night at a global food buffet. It’s a grown up album for grown up people.