mc chris
Part Six, Part Three

Almost there…

You know the drill by now. MC dies, goes to hell, and makes a Faustian pact to weasel his way back to earth as either a person or a ghost with the robot butler from Rocky IV. Shenanigans ensue, comedy and beats are enjoyed by all. I’ve been very impressed at MC’s ability to keep up the pace of writing, recording and touring behind each of the EPs released so far, but the idea that quality would diminish as time progressed has been lodged at the forefront of mind while contemplating this project. Part Six, Part One has had the best skits so far, and Part Two boasted the best songs so far, so where does Part Six, Part Three fall in the mix?

It’s with a heavy heart that I report that MC may be running on fumes. P6P3 is the first time in the entire career where I fear MC is putting out albums simply because he’s painted himself into a corner with his promises to release more material. Even though the man’s made no qualms about the fact that he’s still rapping in an effort to raise money for the treatment of his nephew’s cystic fibrosis, this is the first time his work’s felt phoned in. The beats are not even close to the wonderful electro-rock found on Part One or the blissed-out candy of Part Two. At best, they generally feel like quick rehashes of earlier work, namely that found on the track “Emo Party”.

Fuckin’ “Emo Party”.

The chorus to “Emo Party” is one of the single most grating things I’ve heard all year. I’m fairly sure I’ve made mention in previous MC reviews that his Achilles’ Heel is exposed when he tries to sing. Try as he might, he just can’t seem to hit the notes correctly, and the vocal double tracking adds an additional layer of dissonance. This is all before I get to the fact that he sings the word “Emo” more than any other song ever written, and that word’s sheer existence combined with the painful vocals make the repetition almost enough to dissuade potential listeners from picking up this EP.

Thankfully, the rest of the album isn’t nearly as bad, especially during the verses of “Hipster Hunter” and “Dengar’s Dumptruck”. The Bounty Hunter / Transportation schtick hasn’t worn out its welcome yet, and the verses seen on “Hipster Hunter” are easily the best on the album. Also, the skits help out quite a bit on saving the album. It seems as if MC read my last review, as the Killian character is relegated to the backing role for the most part. A few characters from previous albums / EPs make appearances, giving depth to earlier skits as well as leading up to one hell of an hilarious plot twist that’s definitely got me ready to pony up for the next album. Part Six, Part Three isn’t bad enough to stop listening to this project if you’ve already started, but MC’s really going to need to wrap up strong with Part Four and MC Chris Goes to Hell to make this project more than just a cash grab.

Grade: Recommended for Fans.

www.mcchris.com
www.myspace.com/mcchris

Tracklisting:

1. The Bridge of Fire
2. Hipster Hunter
3. Dengar's Dumptruck
4. Kindle
5. Emo Party
6. Distant Lands
7. The Cave of Mysteries