A few holes in 'The Quilt'

Pop music is oh so fickle.

In 2006, Gym Class Heroes released one of the most fun, catchiest albums of the year, As Cruel As School Children. But it was widely ignored until suddenly an old track from the act’s previous effort, “Cupid’s Chokehold,” took the world by storm.

School Children was re-released with the old track included, and the band’s branded style filled the airwaves. Now Gym Class are back to prove they’re no one-hit wonders.

Their new record, The Quilt, is full of ambitious, genre-blurring jams that easily get stuck in your head. But it's ultimately too uneven.

It tends more toward the hip-hop side, featuring lots of guest stars, including Busta Rhymes and The Dream. Yet the full-band sound that made School Children so tremendous isn’t found as often here.

The Quilt begins with the boisterous, brass-fueled “Guilty As Charged” that features British diva Estelle delivering a fantastic vocal in the chorus. Frontman Travis McCoy’s flow is cocky, quick and chock-full of pop-culture references, which means he’s at his best. Bonus points for excellent references to “The Wire.”

The hip-hop infused tunes “Drnk Txt Rmeo,” “Peace Sign/Index Down” and “Cookie Jar” are all solid in their own right. Each includes catchy choruses and relatable thoughts from McCoy, but his lyrics don’t always come off as well as he thinks.

They’re all actually saved by other elements: “Rmeo” by McCoy’s singing voice, “Index” by Busta and “Cookie Jar” by Tricky Stewart’s beat.

Midway through, the album finds its footing. “Catch Me If You Can” isn’t as blatantly confident, but actually sticks more after repeated listens. McCoy flows about his past while Fall Out Boy’s Patrick Stump brings his patented great vocal.

Other bold choices like “Don’t Tell Me It’s Over,” “Live A Little” (a pop-punk ditty sung by bassist Disashi Lumumba-Kasongo) and “Live Forever (Fly With Me)” (featuring Daryl Hall) at least keep The Quilt interesting.

The title for Gym Class Heroes’ new album couldn’t be more fitting. The Quilt feels patched together with both solid and weak material. It doesn’t fall apart from the seams, but it sure won’t win any awards for overall strength.