Never Better

P.O.S. (aka Steph Alexander) has been one of my favorite MC's for a long time. Audition is, and most likely will remain, one of my favorite hip-hop albums. A self-anointed punk/hardcore kid who ventured into hip-hop, P.O.S. brings elements of the underground you expect from the Minneapolis scene (Atmosphere, Brother Ali, Astronautilas), as well as a distinct, aggressive punk sound. On Audition, we saw samples of Underoath (check out "P.O.S. Is Ruining Everything") to features from Craig Finn of the Hold Steady ("Safety In Speed"l) and Greg Attonito of The Bouncing Souls ("De La Souls"). Mix this with his in-your-face flow and sharp-tongued lyrics, you get a musical molotov cocktail ready to bust through your speakers.

Now I expected nothing but good things from his newest joint, Never Better. Still, I didn't see this coming. Truly, I was blown away how much P.O.S has stepped up his game. On Never Better (excuse the pun), P.O.S. has truly sounded Never Better. His beats are varied, dark, memorable. His lyrical jabs are heavyweight quality, hitting you upside the head 'til you can't stand straight.

"Let It Rattle" opens things with echoing chords over P.O.S's rapid-fire spits, shouting out a "god-damn recession" that could apply to any matter of things in our world. The brooding vibe builds until it suddenly explodes into thundering drums. The drum-and-bass combo P.O.S. has been known for is ever present on this album, but this time brings a whole new power and mood to his songs. "Drum Roll", the first single, literally features drum roll beats that P.O.S. chases through the song, showcasing his flow, one of the smoothest I've ever heard.

Venturing away from his personal tales of love, loss, and finding his place seen in Audition, P.O.S. uses Never Better to take a detached view on race ("Purexed"), meaning of life ("Goodbye), politics ("Low Light Low Life"), etc...These three tracks are some of my favorites. "Purexed" brings a sparkling indie guitar line with classic P.O.S. backing drums. "Goodbye", my personal favorite, fills P.O.S.' quota for one uplifting song per album. Real hot song, though. Always stay up. "Low Light Low Life" will be a favorite to anyone who has checked out P.O.S.' other group, Doomtree, as the entire group is featured in the song. If you haven't heard Doomtree yet, pick up their self-titled shit, it pushes hip-hop's boundaries in a very unique way.

All in all, P.O.S. has proved to release another masterpiece. Every element he brings to the table is completely genuine. His beats are hot, his rhymes are serious, yet he adds enough humor and pop culture (see name drops to Fugazi, Iggy and the Stooges, The Shawshank Redemption, The Big Lebowski, and many more...) to keep things light-hearted at the right points. Everything about P.O.S. is done in a way that no one else could pull of. That personal touch is what is so appealing about his tunes.

My conclusion: EVERYONE PICK THIS UP! Hit stores real soon. Please buy it, this dude honestly has earned your money. If you need any incentive, the album art is insane. Filled with transparent inserts, full lyrics sheet....it really is a whole package deal. Go get it and support one of the best out.

Oh and for all yall in Boston, P.O.S. is coming to Harper's Ferry in late Feb. I expect to see everyone there.

"Drumroll (We're All Thirsty)"



"Goodbye"