Graduate

MC Lars | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 21, 2006)
• Original Release Date: 2006
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Nettwerk Records
• ASIN: B000EHQ83M
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #232,735 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Download this song, oh yes, June 1, 2006

By 

M. J Lane (USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Graduate (Audio CD)

I heard "Download this Song" on LAUNCHcast and I was like "what"? Is this guy actually encouraging people to download his song? Then I caught the lyrics trashing the big record labels.

So I checked a little deeper and MC Lars is on Nettwerk Records and they state on their website "as per Nettwerk copyrights, we have never sued anybody and all our music is open source to encourage fans to share it with others and help us promote our Artists."

That was enough all by itself to get me to buy the CD. As it turns out I've really enjoyed a lot of the songs "especially Space Game". I DID see a copyight warning on the CD jacket however. Maybe they will want to eventually stop you from just "downloading that song".

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars MC Lars - the voice of an iGeneration, March 26, 2006

By 

slimpunk (Carmichael, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Graduate (Audio CD)

Without a doubt, MC Lars' "The Graduate" is one of the most original and musically innovative efforts I've heard from a single artist in years. Released on his own label, this full-length album follows Lars' equally awesome 2004 release, "The Laptop EP."

MC Lars is not rap in the traditional sense, but what he likes to call "post-punk laptop rap." His songs reflect the best of many genres, spanning old school hip-hop acts like Public Enemy and Run DMC, to punk rock, techno, metal, and every alternative in between.

Songs on the album range from being socially conscious to hilarious, or both. "Download This Song" is an excellent, catchy anthem against the record industry featuring Jaret from Bowling For Soup, and sampling Iggy Pop's "The Passenger." "Generic Crunk Rap" lambastes the current state of rap and hip-hop, while "Hot Topic Is Not Punk Rock" features Lars with The Matches totally ragging on the trendy clothing store (ironically, you can buy "The Graduate" from Hot Topic).

"The Roommate From Hell" is a funny track about Lars having a roommate in college who's the devil - literally. "Internet Relationships (Are Not Real Relationships)" holds a few lessons for those obsessed with instant messaging and MySpace, and "Rapgirl" is a emotional and personal story of a romance and a broken heart from Lars.

My personal favorite song has to be "Space Game," simply because it has a kick-ass beat and features extremely cleaver and funny lyrics about science fiction. Fans of MC Lars will recognize older songs "iGeneration" and "Signing Emo." I'm not too happy these were added to the album, since it makes it feel more like a "best of" CD, but I understand that Lars needs to show off his range of talents to newer listeners.

My only other criticism is that Lars did not include "Wal-Mart Nation," a powerful tirade against the retail giant he recorded for the documentary "Wal-Mart - The High Cost of Low Price."

Nevertheless, "The Graduate" is the creative sum of Lars' brilliant lyrics, collaborations with other musicians ("The Dialogue" with Ill Bill being the best), and samples from a wide range of musical genres. MC Lars' mockery of American pop culture is not just for entertainment value, but to advocate social change, or at least try to get listeners to pay attention to the world around them. In the midst of a society eager to dumb down and deceive its youth, to have such a political and talented artist such as Lars is a true gift to this generation.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Post-Punk Laptop Rap, April 3, 2006

By 

Lindsey C. "Lynz" (New Hampshire) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Graduate (Audio CD)

It's not easy when you've created your own genre with only a laptop and lyrics. MC Lars knows just what's going on in the world and has insight into many modern issues and complications. I first found MC Lars while surfing MySpace.com. I was amazed at what I found. Without even buying his album I bought one of his T-Shirts. He's simply one of the best artists I've ever heard. Not becuase of his mad looping-computer generated-music skills, but because he honestly knows what he's signing about. This, coming from someone, who is a large fan of emo music and such.

Lars knows what's up and every song reflects something that we have all encountered as youth in the "iGeneration." It's a fun album and I must admit being hyped up when listening to it. It's almost nice to know somebody else out there knows what's going on in your life, maybe even better than yourself.

MC Lars is going to be one of the next biggest things. He doesn't cater to any particular genre, but instead, created his own. I don't care if you're a metal head or a hardcore crunker, you will adore this album. It can supply to many interests, including those which despise popular music. Myself being that category as well.

Amazing album. And he has cool t-shirts too.