Gym Class Heroes

Now that Gym Class Heroes have little left to prove, they don't front-load their third LP with hits; the big single, "Cookie Jar," sits square in the middle of this set of buoyant, rock- and soul-inflected hip-hop, which is as witty and fresh as any of the stuff that caught people's ears in the first place, and endowed with more ambitious production. The guests, which include Cool & Dre, Busta Rhymes, Estelle and, ahem, Daryl Hall, add some appealing luster; the best tunes are "Drnk txt Rmeo," the relaxed gait of "Like Father, Like Son" and the hard, weird groove of "Home."

On paper, the idea of a multiracial, emo-hop-'n'B quartet who team up with a slew of guest
stars sounds pretty great. And there are moments on Gym Class Heroes' fourth album when
their sound lives up to that concept: "Guilty as Charged" features a rippling, brass-propelled
chorus with a terrific vocal turn by British diva Estelle. The-Dream drops by for two saucy
songs, the double-entendre-packed "Cookie Jar" and "Kissin' Ears," which dispe... More >