P.O.S. - Never Better

“Sorry I took so long” are the first words you hear from Stefon Alexander, more commonly known as hip-hop anomaly P.O.S., on his latest album Never Better. Well, while it’s been three years since his fourth album Audition, it’s immediately clear it was well worth the wait. “Let It Rattle” kicks the album off in a straightforward way, but P.O.S.’ rhymes are incredibly fluent over such a simple beat. In fact, the whole album is fashioned in a similar manner, no where is it overdone, but every word, every beat finds a way to strike you as the listener.

If you don’t already know, P.O.S. is not your typical rapper. In fact, he’d probably be more comfortable at a punk rock show circa 1989 than on the same bill as the Kanye’s and Wayne’s of the mainstream hip hop scene. His raps – no, lyrics – are best described as thought-provoking, heavy, and sometimes even almost splendid. Lines like: “And we all save face in the face of our friends, and we all bend backwards to make amends, and we all take chances that change us” (from “Goodbye”) set the tone of the album: undeniable optimism in the face of fear.

The truth is I can’t find a song on Never Better that I don’t like. There are standouts, including “Goodbye,” “Optimist,” and the all too brief “Savion Glover,” but there aren’t any songs that I would – or have skipped when listening front-to-back. This is the first album to be released so far this year that I’m still listening to very regularly.

The further I find myself into Never Better, the better it gets. Even now as I sit here and attempt to write this review, I’d rather just listen to it. The production is flawless, thanks to both P.O.S. and fellow Doomtree member Lazerbeak. Paper Tiger is worth noting as well for his production on “Low Light Low Life,” which features Doomtree collective members Sims, Cecil Otter, and Dessa, and is probably my personal favorite song on Never Better.

The strongest aspect of P.O.S.’ music however is in his words. The content and the delivery, he’s more a modern troubadour than a rapper. Many hip hop artists today utilize vulgarity to an unprecedented extent, which there is nothing wrong with, when it’s in ‘good’ taste. But as I listen to my copy of Never Better, I still don’t know if I have the uncensored or clean version. P.O.S.’ vocabulary is unbelievable, but he could get along with your grandmother while just as well maintaining the same abrasiveness exhibited on his albums.

However, if you’re looking for the next big thing, the next rapper to take number one on TRL or whatever garbage MTV is running nowadays, P.O.S. is not your man. Never Better is not standard hip-hop. It’s something different that has to be appreciated for just that. Don’t expect to see it on any “Best Rap Albums of 2009” lists, but is it too early to say one of the “Best Albums of 2009?” No, and as of right now, it’s certainly on my list. Musically Never Better is a seven-and-a-half, vocally an eight, production-wise a nine, but overall I can honestly say I believe this record is a nine out of ten: definitely tell your friends about P.O.S.

http://www.myspace.com/pos