Neutrinos said:
For those weak of heart please pass this review.
Ok so People Under The Stairs.
A big fan here. Discovered them when OST came out, bought all the albums.
I took long walks each evening during a complete winter with my cd player listening to OST, and Question.
I've scrutinized their sound because they caught my attention. I'm 36 so i've started listening to hip hop in 87. I was 13.
So i've listened to a lot of records. I've also studied in the sound recording field and made beats from 13 to 36.
Now what is my point? Well i think i know what i'm about to say because i know music.
Basically, from Stepfather and up the P changed their sound and sampling style.
They went from the 90's flavor, underground raw drum loops and original funk and jazz samples until "Stay Tuned"
Then i felt no more of this sound. The last 4 albums are more organic and "live" sounding than machine loops.
The last 4 albums sound a bit less "underground".
So you can like the first 4, the last 4 better or all 8 don't matter.
My point is, it's not bad changing your sound. But some people like me know what they like and what they don't.
I wish that they've staid with the first 4 album "raw edge" 90's sound. And if something is good, why change it? If it's good, usualy people want more. In a lot of different situations.
And i know there's all kinds of different way to see this and mindset this. Some won't even see the difference and won't even understand what i want to explain. Some see all the 8 albums as the P sound. It's all cool.
I just wanted to express and release what i had on my chest because, i'm always expecting the sound i was fed with on the 4 first albums and no more. I find it sad.
But doesn't mean it's a 180 shift they did. Don't misinterpret my sayings. They still are excellent and some beats are still raw but i'm speaking in general.
And even the lyrics changed, i mean they used to rap more about their mpc's and record crates and the labels they liked, the beats they made, the samples they've discovered, the 90's sound they like, that hip hop rules where 2 turntables and a mic.....
Now i feel they rhyme less about that and more about having fun, party, working hard and travelling. It's all good. I just prefer the first half.
People Under The Stairs
Highlighter, my score: 3/5
Peace.
PS. read twice before jumping.
Neutrinos
First of all, nice Zappa avatar. It's cool to have you have you as a part of the forum, 'cause we like to hear from all sides, and I was thinking about asking people what they think the "weakest" track is on Highlighter, so it's not like I'd wanna keep it completely sanitized here.
That being said, I wouldn't necessarily start out a post with a "if you don't like me, pass me by" attitude, 'cause that don't make no sense. Posting to a public forum is inviting a response from anyone on here, whether they like you or not, and just wanting to hear from "people that can stomach you"... I don't know, man... the internet's not exactly the forum to expect that kind of thing.
Here's my perspective on what you had to say: you can boast about your music scrutinizing cred, you music making cred, your hip hop cred, your PUTS cred, and any other type of reason why you think your opinion may count, but an opinion is just that: an opinion. There are people on this forum who are veterans at everything you mentioned, and people that are rookies, but NO ONE tries to make this a hierarchy; it's a family. The most green, teenager, new-to-the-scene rookie here is just as credible as the hardened vet in my eyes. Not dissing you, just saying: you're an equal here, so no need to boost your rep.
As for the rest, you sorta took a while to say a few simple things:
1) the P drastically changed their sound in 2006 (they did, no argument)
2) it's okay to like pre-2006, post-2006, or both (no argument)
3) the sound of the beats and the topic of the rhymes changed (so did Beastie Boys, so did De La Soul, etc... it's natural for a crew to evolve).
And your main point:
4) You like the early stuff, so Highlighter wasn't for you.
That's cool, man. No hard feelings... there were plenty of cats that didn't even like the Question-to-OST shift, but there will always be people that have a "stick to the formula" aesthetic and people who have a "I'll come along for the ride" attitude. I know I'm using rock analogies here, but I couldn't follow Metallica after the black album. And it was hard to like Smashing Pumpkins after they got back together recently. Doesn't make me a bad fan, and it doesn't make you a bad fan to dislike Fun DMC or Carried Away. Just means that the ride will be harder for you to hang to from here on out. You talk about "sad", well... sometimes, I'm "sad" at myself for not being able to follow someone on a new tack. But, just like being a relationship, sometimes you gotta call it a day and break up.
Personally, I like the new direction, because it feels to me like a maturing; they embraced their ENTIRE musical heritage and not just the hip hop side. For instance, Thes said in an interview that he and Double found out that they both liked Led Zeppelin. Well, I've found that hip hop is badly in need of a diaper change, and what better way than to look farther afield for samples. The same-ol-same-ol just isn't interesting to people anymore, and keeping it about raw beats and "digging in the crates", while admirable, doesn't need to be the standard by which a crew is judged.
It's sorta like the current political scene... you gonna stay conservative and diss someone 'cause they included some Quiet Storm up in their sh*t? (I think Panacea did on "A Mind On A Ship Through Time", actually) Or you gonna get liberal and try to do some innovative stuff and flip the script?
Thes has even gone so far as to say "f*** the four elements", and frankly, I agree with him. The P could've stayed insular, but they've expanded. "The Time Bandit" is just as hard/crunchy as anything on OST, Uprock Boogie sounds similar to an early track, but there is this freshness in the production. And it wasn't from some quantized, radio-ringtone-bullsh*t; PUTS hates that computer-generated bullsh*t... it was from live instrumentation, it was from Thes really trying to hit that production stride.
I know it sounds like I'm riding PUTS jock here, but I'm just calling it as I see it. As for the lyrics and the switch from vinyl and music making to beer and parties, I think that's just life. You rap about what you're living, and while the stuff they rapped about back then is still in their lives, I think they decided that they needed to "lighten up" and have fun with it. On practically every single interview I've heard, Thes' #1 point is that everyone in the rap game now "takes themselves SO F***IN SERIOUS", and I think that, by having fun, their disses actually carry more weight... it's like "I'm better than you AND I'm having a good time, so take your janky *ss crew back to your little "I'm so hard" huddle and really stress on finding that perfect jazz loop". It comes across tougher, badder, and more true to the original 70's and 80's battle rapping.
Just my take. Again, no hard feelings, but I'm thrilled to be a part of the new stuff. I'd give Highlighter a 4.5 or 5 out of 5 after having only heard it for a week, but give me a month or two, and that estimate may be lower... or not. Can't know how a shoe fits til you break it in.
PS - OST is on steady blast in my car and iPod daily, so don't think I'm abandoning the old stuff at all, but I think that, if you read what I wrote, you'll see I've got some good points.
PPS - Yeah, I talk too much. Ask anyone here.
