Customer Reviews

Stepfather

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Double K and Thes One's parents must be proud. After three albums and an EP worth of beats, breaks, booze and blunts, the People Under the Stairs are growing up a little with "Stepfather."

That's not to say there's anything wrong with a youthful indiscretion - in fact, some of rap's best and brightest moments were created by young groups without too much concern for a heavy, important message. And each release from PUTS has consistently been both masterfully composed and fun to listen to.

Luckily for us, Stepfather stays the course on those two points. The beats reaffirm the duo's status as top tier among rap producers. More than ever, the breaks tickle your spine while the drums open-hand slap you in the face - you can't help but move.

But after a few songs, you'll notice that things have changed - hold on, I don't think I've heard any cuss words yet - wow, Thes won't let his friends drink and drive - these guys sure love their families. And it's more than just one song meant to appease their mothers (2Pac, Kanye, etc etc) - the theme of family is sprinkled throughout the album, and it never sounds forced or cheesy. It's real.

There were warning signs to this new side of the People. "LA Song (Sensitive Mix) on "Or Stay Tuned" examined a mix of characters racing against the city, and Thes' solo single "Noonen" proclaimed his new resolution to wake (and grow) up.

But I doubt many P fans expected to find this much growth on Stepfather. And while the "mature" label on most rap albums usually works as a simile for "boring," in this case it has helped bring out the best of PUTS. Congrats fellas, this is your finest work yet.

In 2006, the eagerly anticipated album from PUTS (People Under The Stairs) is here, and I am glad to say it was definitely worth the wait. With 18 tracks, and 2 skits it is obvious that Thes One & Double K have worked hard (as always), for stepfather to ensure the fans do not go wanting. In the past PUTS and their music have been constantly criticized for the resulting contrast between their mediocre rhymes & the flawless beats...now as much as that can be debated, it was & still is a issue for most people. With that in mind, I believe, that lyrically this is the best Puts have ever produced. Mc/Producers Thes One & Double K seem to have really stepped up for this, with trademark great flows as usual but the substance of each song is so much more than the parties, booze, blunts & fun theme that was so prominent in earlier releases. Now, don't get me wrong, I love everything by the Puts, but I did feel that after 3 albums and an EP of, basically, consistent lyrics, the puts needed to step up in order to get the recognition they deserve. They have done this. Similarly, the main thing to note about Stepfather is that Thes & K seem to have matured much more touching on subjects that are more personal to them and give us more of an insight into how they think and get down. From the importance of Family on "Days like these" (and throughout the album) to how they Eat on "Eat Street" and yeh, you guessed it, some ideas on how they like to have fun on "jamboree". Like everything the P does, the album is straight consistency with not one weak track on the entire album. However, saying that, I did find that "Pass The 40" just scrapes "OK", as the beat is just not to my taste, and creates a rocky flow of consistency at the start which soon re-gathers when "Pumpin'" kicks in. So, all I can, is if you are a Fan of people under the stairs without a doubt peep this, if you havent heard of them peep this and even if you didn't like them peep this as you will find you may like this one. PEACE

P.S. (The DVD which comes with the special/limited edition of this cd is also amazing. With footage showing us how the P started, what they're like, where they live, how they make their beats, shows etc etc etc. A GREAT extension to the album. The Poster is also a great addition!)

Lyrics - 10/10
Beats - 5000/10 (It's the P!)
Originality (of album) - 8.5/10
Replay Value - 10/10

Best Tracks - Flex Off, Days Like These, Jamboree, Eat Street, More Than You Know and On & On.

If you found this review helpful, check my others

This was the first People Under the Stairs album I bought back in the month of July in 2006, just three months after its release. I was traveling to the Warp Tour show in Boise Idaho for a good time and to enjoy the company of my friends. Of course we stopped at a couple record shops and I saw this double disc hip hop album on the shelf, sampled it and it sounded nice, it sounded fresh, and I knew I wasn't going out with any mainstream popcorn rap album.
It has now been eight months since I have owned Stepfather and I now own, O.S.T, ...Or Stay Tuned, The Next Step, & The Cat, with many more PUTS on its way. I will tell you, whoever may be reading this, that the P is the freshest sound in Hip Hop since you were born. Go ahead read the other reviews of what people say about the P, nothing but positive marks, cheerful attitudes and dedicated listeners.
If you want to listen to two B-Boys having fun, making quality music, smooth lyrics with diversity within the culture they live in, and a positive outlook on every single track you play, the PUTS is for you. If not, good for you.

Stepfather: The CD version includes a poster and a DVD with interviews, documentary-style commentary by the artists, live footage, videos and much more.

This album displays maturity. P.U.T.S.'s growth is in production as well as lyrics. Beats are more layered, textured, lyrics demonstrate more life perspectives without sacrificing the feel good, danceable elements that helped establish their early fanbase. On Jamboree Part 1 there's a thick drum beat, with a synth line, vocal samples, and some other percussive (probably MPC) element filling in spaces between beats. So impressed with much of the production I double checked the album notes to see if Dilla had produced some of the tracks, but all music is handled in house. Overall the feel of the album is soulful and summery, yet even with all the every day situations being depicted, drinking, trying to get girls, P.U.T.S. is not trying to recapture the Golden Age of HipHop, something Double K spits about. They even strip down the beats on some cuts for variation, like on Pass the 40. George Clinton does some echoey vocals on The Doctor and the Kidd, the song dominated by Double K's bassline as a a lazy guitar remains in the background. "I wake up/blessed with another day to make the whereabouts better/give it up/higher power live it up/We're grown now/at the table play the hand that we been dealt/with no choice you ante up, all your chips are on the felt/and when the only thing that's left is faith/you maintain/the last defense against pain" Thes One, from Days Like These. This is the kind of lyrical development that gives this album more depth than their previous albums (in addition to the inproved production.) A great chillout album I've found that Stepfather can also be appreciated for much more than background music, I recommend it.

I feel displaced being the time span between this entry and the previous one (about 4 years). Here on "Stepfather" you do here the growth of PUTS being that this is their first effort on their own indie label, PUTS Records. On that note, one of the first things you'll notice is the change in design on the CD itself; gone is the yellow disc with the red cross from the OM years. In terms of the sound that we're used to, its a far cry from all of the previous albums, in particular the first two. But the three years in between "Or Stay Tuned" and "Stepfather" did the fellas a world of good. Along the way of touring worldwide, they happened to pick up some break beats down in Mexico City (check out the accompanying DVD). The results are phenomenal, with a more radio friendly sound but still underground in its roots. This is a rebirth for PUTS, as this laid the foundation and groundwork for the two follow ups, "Fun DMC" and "Carried Away". As usual PUTS stays true to what has made them so popular over their 13 year career. You still got the party jams (Jamboree pt 1, Tuxedo Rap), chillin and hanging out with the fellas (Jamboree pt 2, Eat Street), and the sentimental and reminiscing cuts (Days Like These, More Than You Know). Hands down this was and still is to date their finest achievement, and they are far from done. If you are new to PUTS, you can't go wrong starting off with "Stepfather", however I highly recommend all of the previous albums, at the very least get the best of the OM years. Also check out the follow ups as well. L.A. hip hop is alive and well.

That's what it says in small letters on the back of 'Stepfather,' and how true it is.

I have two other PUTS records, and I like them, but they're not as instantaneously likable as this one. 'Stepfather' is just a plain old fun hip-hop record. Even when Double K and Thes One sound serious, as on the organ-drenched opener, 'Step In,' you can't help but bounce and smile.

And there are plenty of reasons to do so. 'Pass the 40' has the MCs swapping verses over a simple beat as Thes One even tosses a dis at nostalgic underground heads ('The underground stuck in '93's not fresh/Backpack and notebooks, not a good look'). 'Pumpin' puts a clavinet sample together with some jazz-scat drumming and 'Tuxedo Rap' smooths everything out with a beat worth bumping on any Friday night.

I can keep going.

The two-part 'Jamboree' is a rollicking good time followed by a spot-on description of the after-party at your boy's bachelor pad. The jam, however, is 'Eat Street,' which flips the album's best beat into a tribute to PUTS's favorite dining spots. 'Some guys are mad smart/Some guys are tough dudes/But me and my homies we mostly care about food,' Thes says. Double K couldn't agree more: 'I head down west to the A-1 Burger/Where the french fries are fresh and you might get murdered.' You'll find yourself singing some of the song's one-liners all day ('When I'm chillin'/I'd rather be grillin,' 'Yo shorty let me tell you bout my only vice/It's got to do with lots of chewin'/And it ain't nothin' nice').

This is the most enjoyable hip-hop album I've bought in a long time.

Despite being all but ignored by just about everyone east of California, P.U.T.S. continues to hammer great album after great album. Despite the occasional straying from their laid back, fun Bay Area style, Stepfather is still the kind of album that many would expect from P.U.T.S. Thes One and Double K kick witty and playful rhymes about everyday topics like trips to their favorite fast food joint, relationship complexities, partying, and everyone's favorite pastime...hanging out. The production is laid back, mellow, and funky and incorporates jazz breaks and abstract funk samples in a manner that makes this album unique even from its underground counterparts. Guests include George Clinton, Odell Johnson, and Kat Ouano.

I thought this to be another solid effort, but a little too much filler material. OST was a 5 star, with about 10 stellar tracks and the rest good vibing music. I will say, that I just got the cd a week ago and still listening in various moods, so I may wind up rating this higher later on. Can't go wrong with the P!

Jeff
Atl

Excellent release by Double K and Thes One. I loved some of the tracks including both Jamboree raps, LA9X, You, Eat Street, On and On. It's all solid, just what you would expect from one of your favorite undergound groups.

You get what you expect.... Fantastic beats & solid lyrics.... Thes 1 and Double K don't disappoint..... 20 tracks on the album, 1 is an intro and another is more of a skit... So of the 18 actual songs, I thought about 12 of them had good replay value in my playlist, and I'm picky when it comes to music....

My favorite tracks:

Days Like These
Tuxedo Rap
Flex Off
LA9X
More Than You Know

Thes 1 & Double K are often unmentioned producers... Their ablums have some of the best production I've ever listened to....