Search - Handsome Boy Modeling School :: White People (Mcup)

Apparently Not For Everybody

Brian Seiler | Tomball, TX USA | 12/16/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I'll admit that I have no idea what all the people who don't like this CD were thinking. I suppose that means that I'm not such a good person to review it. Oh well--here's my position, anyway.



I'm sick of hip hop, and I'd wager that if you're looking at this review, you're probably at least a little sick of it yourself as well. Everything sounds the same and there's little or no thematic differentiation in the mainstream. It's boring. This album is the antithesis of that, which is both good and bad. Let's handle them one at a time.



On the good side, this is really a terrific effort at blending musical formats without paying any particular attention to genre or style. There are hip hop type tracks and there are soul/alternative/rock/whatever tracks, but there aren't a whole lot that stick in the realm of a single genre. In that regard, this CD is much more liberated than its (excellent) predecessor in that it roams far more freely across the musical landscape. Lyrically, on the hip hop side it looks as though the record has taken a step back (is it just me or is Del bored with everything that he doesn't produce these days?), but it's still not bad by any means, and the other contributions on the record (notable tracks--Breakdown and Class System) more than make up for it.



Of course, this feature also doubles as the record's primary downside. If you only like hip hop, you won't like this record. Don't even try it. If you bought Lovage and didn't like it, then you need to be very careful here. This album is a lot of things, but one thing it is not is a pure, direct, singular expression of hip hop. It wanders far too far over the musical map to be confined to that single genre. That can make the record seem aimless if you're looking for a more focused or confined sound, and if that's the case, you probably won't enjoy this CD as much as I do.



The bottom line is this: if you want a hip hop record, you're better off with something else. If you just want a GOOD record, then go ahead and buy it. Whether you enjoy this album or not will depend almost entirely on how openminded you are about your musical experiences. Taken on their own, each track on this record (with the notable exception of The Hours, which I'm sure some people must like, but which does nothing but grate on my nerves--probably because I've grown to dislike most modern rock) stands well on its own and would be a welcome addition to any other album. Together, they make an interesting and engaging journey that I feel very comfortable in awarding a perfect five stars.



One piece of advice for the producers, though--skits are only funny the first couple of times through. After that they're just annoying. Either cut the bloody things out of the album or put them on their own tracks. If you want to do comedy, get a deal with a network. And it's not that the skits on here aren't funny--they should elicit a chuckle the first time. It's the thirtieth time when they just sort of blend into the background noise that they start to become more of a burden."

More than just for white people

Manny Hernandez | Bay Area, CA | 06/12/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I was introduced into Handsome Boy Modeling School's "White People" shortly after the 2005 release by Gorillaz, "Demon Days". Blending in the talents of 30-some outstanding artists throughout the album's 16 tracks, Handsome Boy Modeling School comes back with an extraordinary album that bends genres (comedy included) and presents you with a aurprising and imaginative musical jewel we are not typically in front of.



Take the intro and the outro, as an example: with the voice of Father Guido Sarducci, you won't be able to keep a straight face. Other examples are the Gorillaz-sounding "The World's Gone Mad", the straight-up R&B piece "I've Been Thinking", or the 7+ minute long piece "Rock And Roll (Could Never Hip Hop Like This)" where Vivaldi's 1st movement of "The Four Seasons" meets hip-hop like you cannot imagine.



The list goes on and on, and so do the pleasant musical surprises. "White People" is more than just for white people. It is quite a gender-bending masterpiece meant to break musical ground for all ages and races."

The best record of 2004

methatiswhoiam | jupiter | 12/24/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Everything about this is perfect..ok a few of the skits could go. The actual songs - those are perfect. From The opening sample of if it wasn't for you, the incredible mike patton song right after.. Amazing piano in class system. I can't get the mars volta song on here out of my head.. The best part is that when mars volta or ..linkin park is on a track..it sounds nothing like their own bands.. Prince paul and dan the automator are badass. I'm ranting."