August 04
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P.O.S. | Never Better | 3.5 stars
By CHRIS FARAONE | February 18, 2009
P.O.S. must have known he had a near-classic on his claws with Never Better. So must the label folks at Rhymesayers, who spent a heavy grip manufacturing the kaleidoscopic interactive liner notes accompanying his new disc. The investment was well worth it; the punk-inspired P.O.S. has done the unthinkable this time around by designing cuts fit for legit hip-hop heads and hard-rock revelers alike. Few things enrage me more than rappers who think they’re too good for hip-hop, and P.O.S. is hardly such a dolt. Furthermore, because of his experience with loud bands (he’s easily one of hip-hop’s top live performers), dude can tweak his voice to shine through every sonic forest he decides to pillage. “Purex” — a manic-depressive drum-spattered slap against convention — might be the best new track I’ve heard in 2009 . . . in any genre. And the pop-flavored “Goodbye” isn’t far off, even though at moments P.O.S. sounds a bit too much like his exalted labelmate Brother Ali. I didn’t like the last P.O.S album — and I still don’t, having tasted it again this week — and that’s just fine. This one’s extra special: a picture-perfect portrait of what every rap-rock hybrid attempts to do but can’t. Never better indeed.
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