REVIEW: mc chris, “mc chris is dead”

Posted on June 9, 2008 by Skittle.
Filed Under Downloads, MP3, Reviews | 1 Comment
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Artist: mc chris
Album: mc chris is dead
Year: 2008
Label: mc chris llc
Score: 4.5 out of 5

mc chris watching his audience As a long time mc chris fan, I have been around to see his art evolve from his time as a voice actor and animator on various Adult Swim shows in 2001 up to his latest album, mc chris is dead, which was released just last month. This album is his first without the assistance of DJ John Fewell who provided the beats for 2001′s life’s a bitch and i’m her pimp, 2003′s knowing is half the hassle, 2004 and 2005′s releases of eating’s not cheating, and 2006′s dungeon master of ceremonies. Due to a separation of the two, and for legal purposes, mc chris chooses to no longer sell these previous albums. They are no longer in print and fans are openly encouraged to download the albums online. They can all be found in mp3 format on You Sound Like A Robot by following the album title links above.

There are two different versions of this album released so far: the hard disc version, which I am basing this review on, and the shorter (but significantly cheaper) digital version which is available via Amazon mp3 by using the links below.

mc chris is dead marks a new era for mc chris’ work, as the music is almost entirely composed by Andrew Futral of The Age of Rockets under the alias of The Snobots. The only exceptions are Modd Jobs’, the winner of mc chris’ last remix contest, two contributions: “falynn” and “the masturbation song”. DJ Kechup also adds some fancy record scratching to “the masturbation song”. The overall sound of the album is significantly cleaner and more “growed up” than previous albums. Cursing, though still present, has decreased quite a bit. Song subjects have also become somewhat subdued for the most part. According to the first skit on the album, “metaphor”, the changes were made in order to get more radio play. Don’t get me wrong though: this album is not for kids!

The opening song, “mc chris is dead”, is the title track of the album. It opens with an ooky spooky vocalization by Jenny Owen Youngs, a beat quickly entering the song followed by mc chris’ voice. It is probably the strongest track of the album and it definitely does it’s job of grabbing the listener’s attention quite well. The song echoes out and fades into the next track, “older crowd”. A witty song about the age and behavior of his average fan, it contains a catchy chorus with a distorted voice spouting “I’ve got the bass for your face.” It is a pretty hard hitting song in the bass department as well. The third track on the album is an interesting piece called “reese” about… you guessed it… Reese’s Pieces! The lyrics describe the history of the candy as smooth vocalizations by Futral and a bouncy beat accompany them. Another one of the best tracks on the album.

He's a fan of comic books.

The track called “pizza butt” is, honestly, my least favorite of the bunch. While it is a fun song and it contains some pretty intense rapping on mc’s part, I just don’t get it. It seems to be modeled after the hit rap single “Crank That (Soulja Boy)” of which I happen to be about as opposite of a fan as one can be. This track is the only skippable one on the album. The next song is a fun, fast-paced piece called “hoodie ninja”. It’s the type of track that you throw on if you want to bounce around like a mad man. The first of three skits on the album is next, titled “metaphor”. The skits continue character from previous albums. The entire theme of this album is that, after dying on dungeon master of ceremonies, mc chris is now a zombie. Another meeting with his manager, portrayed by John Gemberling since the first album, this track is hilarious. After his departure, another character from the past enters the scene: Tony Kopeck. There’s also a guest appearance by “Chikezie” from American Idol.

“on*” is a fun track, particularly for those who have ever actually used the service. Hallie Bullit contributes the amazing chorus on the next track, “kill it”. This song surprised me. It was never really spoken about before the release of the album or hyped like other tracks, but I think it is one of the best songs on the whole disc. It also sounds the closest to mc chris’ older work of all of the tracks on the album. Beginning the second half of the album is “rollercoaster”, a sweet song that makes the listener want nothing more than to share some cotton candy with that special someone. Another ode to the female gender, “nrrrd grrrl” is the next track. I’ve posted a pre-mix of this song before in this previous entry. The second skit, “magic”, follows. A continuance of the older Imperial Senate skits never released on any albums, though they can be found on my buddy mDt’s pirating mc site, the characters discuss pop culture of the moment as they always have… all the while trying to stay silent as to not attract the zombies that haunt the planet due to the “zombie apocalypse” portrayed in the album.

mc chris as a vampire by Nate

The next song on the album is another love song, like the two before it, called “falynn”. It is the first of Modd Jobs’ two tracks and contains a guitar-heavy backdrop. The next track, “the masturbation song” is an interesting story about… well, you can imagine. The music in the track is really peaceful and groovable, DJ Kechup contributing some wicked scratching. Pretty much anyone can relate to the next song, “freaks”. A very reflective song about a group of friends spending time together at Denny’s, it’s a very nice song. I dare you to listen to it and not think back to your younger days and the friends you had at the time. It is my personal favorite song on the album, I’m including an mp3 of it for you all to hear, consider purchasing the album after listening!

Download “freaks” now! (Right-click, save as)

Rounding out the end of the album is the fun, guitar-driven song of inspiration “never give up”. With very positive lyrics it is a great song to listen to if you just don’t feel like doing it anymore… “it” being pretty much anything. About two-thirds into the song, Andrew W. K. joins in on the chorus to split vocal duties with mc chris. It ends with fireworks and a mind explosion for the listener. Though this is marked the last track on the packaging for the album, there is one more: a hidden sixteenth track. After five minutes of silence a third and final skit begins playing which reveals that mc chris is no longer a zombie. Perhaps a hint for the theme of the next level? Only time will tell, mc chris is notorious for deceiving his listeners…

Overall, this is a nearly perfect album. As such, I am giving it a nearly perfect four and a half out of five robots. Be sure to purchase yourself a copy, either the digital version or the extended hard disc version. I think mc chris is dead just might be my new favorite mc chris album!

mc chris.com | MySpace

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One Response to “REVIEW: mc chris, “mc chris is dead””

INTERVIEW: mc chris | You Sound Like A Robot on June 18th, 2008 2:46 pm

[...] Sound Like A Robot. Be sure to see him on tour this year and purchase a copy of his latest album, mc chris is dead. Links to purchase the album can be found in the entry below. You are touring with The Age of [...]