Party Fun Action Committee's joke-hop opus, Let's Get Serious, pointedly and proudly eviscerates the tenets and clichés of the genre. But while Blockhead (Aesop Rock's producer) and Jeremy Gibson make mincemeat of obvious targets like rap-rock and R. Kelly-style coochie soul, they leave no scene... [+] Expand

Party Fun Action Committee's joke-hop opus, Let's Get Serious, pointedly and proudly eviscerates the tenets and clichés of the genre. But while Blockhead (Aesop Rock's producer) and Jeremy Gibson make mincemeat of obvious targets like rap-rock and R. Kelly-style coochie soul, they leave no scene unturned, goofing equally on slam poetry and underground denizens like Kool Keith and MC Paul Barman. Each "demo" is introduced by the jibber-jabbering of two vapid, chai-guzzling A&R know-it-alls, who discuss "hip-hop," "flow," and "the street" in that affected voice black comedians use to characterize out of touch white people. While some of its humor falls flat, Let's Get Serious succeeds mostly because Jer and Blockhead get the details right. The whiny, double-tracked cadence of nu-metal vocalists (especially a certain backwards baseball cap-wearing Floridian) is mocked with undiluted glee in Kornhole's "Whatchu Know Now," while A.B.C.D.E.F. Gee's "I Shoulda Known" tears into the misogyny (and worse) of modern soul, finding time to send up the ubiquitous, preposterously gruff Ja Rule. And while the raps throughout are often impressive (if a little sophomoric), it's the beats PFAC has come up with that really sell Let's Get Serious' book of inside jokes. "Chapstick," performed by "Sweet Pickles and MC Noel Weissman," dissects Barman's smarmy university flow over a perfect sonic caricature of the Brown graduate's loping, sample-heavy cheese. Even when Jer and Blockhead get carried away in the moment, like on the broad, jocular frat-boy rip "Beer," they still manage to paint their characters and raps with equal prowess. "Marky" raps lines like "Dude I got a case of Bud Dry let's break out the funnel," all the while retaining his thick Beantown patois ("You know what else is wicked awesome? Bob Maahley -- that guy f*ckin' rules!"). Party Fun Action Committee is sure to make a few enemies with Let's Get Serious. But that's only because its bitingly funny satire hits so close to home. ~ Johnny Loftus, All Music Guide [-] Collapse

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