Gym Class Heroes - The Papercut EP

It's odd--a hip hop act on Fueled By Ramen Records. A Florida-based label that's somehow made a name by releasing mediocre pop-punk over the last few years picking up these New York urbanites just escapes me. But I'm not here to talk about the politics of the business, so I'll refrain. The Papercut EP, while only four tracks (just under 14 minutes) long, does a good job of building my interest in the Gym Class Heroes. "Taxi Driver" is a witty barrage of name-dropping by vocalist Schleprock, covering everyone from Thrice to Death Cab for Cutie, to Scraps and Heart Attacks, Sunny Day Real Estate, Cursive, and Jets to Brazil. The band provides a relaxed, flowing backdrop for the rhymes, with a beautiful, low-lying guitar line. "Papercuts" is a perfect display of how hip hop can be made without the aid of drum machines and samples, and once again, Schleprock proves his worth as a lyricist/rapper. On "Boomerang Theory," he claims that he "got arrested by the karma police in Beantown," while "Makeout Club" is an ode to all the girls who the vocalist has locked lips with. More than myself, I have to say. The Gym Class Heroes aren't the Roots, not by a long shot. Neither musically nor lyrically are they on the same level. But these guys still have the abilitiy to appeal to different crowds, with their successful blending of different worlds and lyrics that, while aren't that thought-provoking, avoid much of the violent substance that plagues a lot of hip hop and relies more on light-hearted sentiment that should make the listener crack a smile. [www.gymclassheroes.com]