MC Lars - The Graduate

Genre rap Publisher Nettwerk Records External Links Official MC Lars Website Nettwerk Records

Coincidentally, MC Lars Horris has been around as long as there has been screamo. Since Horris was actually in a Cal-punk group (Amphoteric) before going nerd core laptop, he actually has the credentials to hook that alterna-Weird Al demographic left uncared for since the last Barenaked Ladies album. So while his fourth full-length won't hold up well under repeated listening outside any college campus, MC Lars is no opportunist-he's irritating in his own right.

The opener, "Download This Song," unequivocally sets Lars' sights on his target audience with the inclusion of a cameo from Bowling for Soup's Jaret Reddick (and I can tell you right now I could not discern one nasal white dude from t'other). At least the guest MC on "Roommate from Hell," the voice behind the creepy candy-hungry alien rapper on Aqua Teen Hunger Force, is easier to distinguish. Although that doesn't make the song any less annoying. Actually, it does. Never mind.

It is patently obvious from Lars' lyrical flow that he owes his style to John S. Hall of King Missile, which is no surprise, really. But it's clear from his lowbrow humor that Lars doesn't seem to think that King Missile had any songs before "Detachable Penis." These kids today... "If I Had a Time Machine," excuse me, "T to the I to the MA to the CHINE, That Would Be Fresh" was better the first time when it was called "Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure." Don't Get me started on "Generic Crunk Rap," 'cause I don't have the energy to parse the latent racism of white rappers who talk about the evils of other, blacker hip-hop subgenres. Which is exactly how The Man wants it.

When Lars quits frontin' and keeps it real for his English-major homies, the result is actually entertaining. "Ahab," a retelling of Moby-Dick, is irony-free and sort of affecting. I felt the pain of Ahab's tragic flaw all over again. Anyhow, I listened to it 'til I squeezed all the funny out, and then it was back to Square One. More literary-themed songs would make this old English major happier. Until then, you kids get off my lawn!