The Quilt is the fourth studio album by the American rap rock band Gym Class Heroes, released by Fueled By Ramen/Decaydance on September 9, 2008.

The album, featuring the hit single "Cookie Jar," debuted at number 14 on the Billboard 200 with 32,266 copies sold in its first week.Hip Hop Album Sales: Week Ending 9/6/08, HipHopDX

Background The Quilt was the follow-up to Gym Class Heroes breakthrough album As Cruel As School Children, which skillfully combines pop and hip-hop.

The album title "The Quilt" represents the "patchwork of sounds, different arrangements (and) real lyrics." "Musically, I think it's a big cocktail of everything that's inspired us over the past two years," frontman Travie McCoy McCoy told the Associated Press.

Music Half of the album's 14 tracks are produced by Patrick Stump of Fall Out Boy, Cool & Dre, Tricky Stewart. Allstar produced the rest. Featured artists on the record include Busta Rhymes, Estelle, The-Dream and Daryl Hall of Hall & Oates. Additional background vocals on the album are provided by Patrick Stump, Patty Crash, Andre Leon and Lyndsey Ray. Pete Wentz of Fall Out Boy is also credited with working on a track.

Singles The first single from the album was "Peace Sign/Index Down" which featured Busta Rhymes. It made no impact globally so it was released alongside "Blinded by the Sun" and "Cookie Jar" featuring The-Dream. A video was shot for both "Peace Sign/Index Down" and "Cookie Jar" as they were official singles whereas "Blinded by the Sun" was a pre-release single from the album.

The next single from the album was "Guilty as Charged" featuring Estelle. The song was premiered on UK radio November 1 and Gym Class Heroes later shot a video for the song in Las Vegas.

The song "Don't Tell Me It's Over" originally featured Lil Wayne.

While not released as a single, the song "Home" was used on Madden NFL 09 without the minute-long introduction.

"Live a Little"'s music video was uploaded to YouTube on November 17, 2009.

Release In some stores, notably Future Shop, The Quilt was released before the release date, September 9.

The Quilt debuted at number 14 in the US Billboard 200 chart, selling 32,266 copies in its first week, becoming the group's highest-peaking album on the chart. By October 2009, the album had sold 108,000 copies in the United States.Bell; Harding 2009, p. 57

In the United Kingdom, the album debuted at number 41 in the UK Albums Chart, even though the second single from the album became their third top ten hit in the UK.

iTunes version Along with the normal 14-track album, iTunes offered an extended edition for $12.99 that included three "Stressed Out Remix" versions of "Cookie Jar" and "Blinded by the Sun" and music videos of "Peace Sign / Index Down" and "Cookie Jar".

Critical reception

Michael Hewlett of the Winston-Salem Journal wrote that McCoy's "battle-rap rhymes ride along rock-edged rhythms that dip also into straight-up hip-hop, reggae, ska and emo. It shouldn't work but it does, a roller-coaster ride of sound that feels at times like a therapy session and at other times like an alcohol-fueled after-party. ... In this mish-mash of a CD is a beguiling kind of poetry that pulls in listeners rather than pushes them away. This is a beautiful mess of music."

In a review for RapReviews, Steve "Flash" Juon stated: There are no shortage of dope songs on “The Quilt” to nod your head to lyrically and tap your feet to musically. ... you can file 'The Quilt”' right next to your collection of Roots classics – this is a band you should be looking out for both today and in 2011."

Track listing

Notes signifies a co-producer signifies an additional producer signifies lyric and original music credits

Sample credits "Like Father, Like Son (Papa's Song)" contains elements of "The Lottery Song", written by Harry Nilsson. "Blinded By the Sun" contains elements of "Sunglasses at Night", written by Corey Hart. "Cookie Jar" contains elements of "Buy U a Drank", written by T-Pain.

Personnel

Gym Class Heroes Travis McCoy – vocals Matt McGinley – drums Disashi Lumumba-Kasongo – guitar, vocals Eric Roberts – bass guitar

Additional musicians Dave Cabrera – additional guitar , additional bass guitar Sal Cracchiolo – trumpet Patty Crash – additional vocals The-Dream – additional vocals Estelle – additional vocals Frank Fontaine – tenor saxophone Daryl Hall – additional vocals Wendell Kelly – trombone k-os – additional vocals Andre Lyon – background vocals and additional instruments Adam MacDougall – B3 , clavinet , keyboards , piano , Rhodes Patrick Matera – additional guitar Eddie "Crack Keys" Montilla – piano , organ Lindsey Ray – additional vocals Busta Rhymes – additional vocals Patrick Stump – background vocals T-Bone – additional bass guitar Marcello "Cool" Valenzano – additional instruments

Technical personnel Ben Allen – mixing Allstar – engineer Clinton Bradley – sound design Nick Chahwala – engineer Shaun Evans – mixing assistant Craig "The Regulator" Frank – engineer Brian "Big Bass" Gardner – mastering Christy Hall – production assistant Seamus Harte – additional guitar engineer Jaycen Joshua – mixing Brian Lewandowski – mixing assistant and additional Pro Tools Machine – mixing Chris "TEK" O'Ryan – additional engineering Wyatt Oates – assistant engineer Dave Pensado – mixing Neal H. Pogue – mixing Brian "B-LUV" Thomas – engineer Pat Thrall – additional engineering Randy Urbanski – mixing assistant Gina Victoria – engineer Ryan Warden – mixing assistant and additional Pro Tools Tyler Winick – additional guitar engineer Andrew Wueppner – mixing assistant

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (2008) Peakposition

References Citations

Sources

External links