Hailing from my hometown of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Mel Gibson and the Pants (MGP) are a band with a peculiar sound with an even more peculiar name. But don’t let the name throw you off, MGP is a midwest group with a quality sound. Though their music includes a midwest style, MGP comes up with a new flavor of hip-hop incorporating electro-rock, drum & bass, and of course hip-hop. With Riley Hartnet’s maginifecent guitar riffs and Harold Sander’s (J.R.) thought provoking rhymes, MGP pulls off something never “seen” before.
[audio:VolatileMixture.mp3,TheSlipperySlopeofGivingUp.mp3,BeatitLoose.mp3|titles=Volatile Mixture,The Slippery Slope of Giving Up,Beat it Loose]
Now is the time to put on the rhymes.
Volatile Mixture bares a reflective and somewhat nostalgic quality to it (once you’re more familiar with it). J.R.’s lyrics show off his strong ability with words, as well as his vocal craftsmanship. The song touches deep, talking about the hardships of life in a way in which only J.R., with the help of his bands members, could pull off.
The Slippery Slope of Giving Up is another telling of the passing of time, but with a more upbeat tone than the last (though, not contextually). With it’s catchy tunes, and lyrics that are applicable to just about anyone, it progressively becomes a favorite listen. The song has some catchy one-liners that stick into your head, e.g. “Well I’m sure having fun, chasin’ after oblivion; but that just doesn’t fit in with any plans I made when I was innocent” (Ya gotta listen to it for full effect… any effect). ;)
Beat it Loose: I don’t have too much to say right now about Beat it Loose, mostly because I just started to like the song, but as soon as I have some more insight i’ll update the post. Nevertheless, it’s a good listen with some incredible scratching by… I am guessing Ryan Olson?! It’s also worth noting that it features Cecil Otter a talented producer/MC from Doomtree.
Edit: For a more in-depth (though, not really that in-depth) look at Beat it Loose, check out my article… here!
Quite a few songs feature members of Doomtree on all three of MGP’s albums. I enjoy Doomtree’s sound, and a lot of other members of the Rhymesayers collective, though MGP is sadly not a part of it.
Mel Gibson and the Pants are a fairly well-known hip-hop group in Minneapolis, and deserve all the creditability they have gained over the years. Though, their name is a bit silly, they are a group that’s definitely worth checking out. My only criticism with their work, is their inability to create such well-written and composed pieces as the ones mentioned above. Though, I must say they are an experimental band, and without their progressive nature, they wouldn’t have acquired the unique sound they possess.
Artist Information:
Genre: Hip-Hop, Drum & Bass, Electronica
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Band Members:
Ryan Olson: Mixer
Harold Sanders Jr.: MC
Ben Clark: Bass
Riley Hartnet: Guitar
Eric Busse: Keyboards
Drew Christopherson: Drum Machine
Label: Totally Gross National Product
Additional Albums: A Mannequin American | Sea vs Shining Sea
Links: MySpace | Last.fm | iLike
Album Information:
Release Date: January 1, 2005
Singles: Beat it Loose
Buy Links: Amazon Mp3 | iTunes
