Tag Archives: P.O.S.

Album Review: Doomtree – All Hands

Doomtree - All HandsIt takes a lot for me to admit I like a modern day hip hop act.

I’m not trying to sound like a jaded hipster supreme or anything, but I just can’t get into a lot of these hip hop acts out there let alone understand what the hell they are talking about.

Maybe it is because I am getting old.  Or maybe it is because I prefer 90s hip hop over anything else (Bone Thugs and Wu Tang will always remain my favs).

I can always make exceptions of course.

Doomtree is easily one of those exceptions.
(Note: Run The Jewels is another – but we are not going to talk about them in this post.)

Hailing from Minneapolis, Doomtree is a hip hop collective full of artists who bring different talents together to create a complex and intricate style of hip hop.

I can’t lie, P.O.S. is how I learned of Doomtree.  I was introduced to him years ago and even got to shoot some up clone and personal photos him him during a memorable set at a Warped Tour as he performed literally in the middle of the crowd standing upon an equipment case.  Anyone who sings Fugazi in the middle of a rap track is ok with me.  Not to mention, he was in Wharf Rats too.

Should I even mention that another member in Doomtree, Cecil Otter, was 1/2 behind Wugazi?  Do you see why I dig these guys so much?  Perhaps I need to calm down.  Nah…

Doomtree

I was introduced to Doomtree’s second release No Kings shortly after and was completely blown away.  To be honest, I still listen to that album.  It is a timeless collection of awesome with plenty of memorable tracks that have not gotten stale by any means not to mention the “Bangarang” video still rules thanks to Har Mar Superstar.

Doomtree recently dropped an all new album in January called All Hands.  This will be their third official album and was actually recorded far away from civilization and cellphone signals.  The result is not surprising, an eyebrow lifting album that easily will gather tons of attention.

“Final Boss” started off things so strong with a incredibly likable track that was full of 8-bit beats.  Each of the 5 MCs took a turns rifling off lyrics praising their hometown, recognizing  talent, talking video games, and just life.  The repeating  “get up like I never f*cking got up before and I get it like I never f*cking got it before” seemingly pumped this listener up each time it repeated.  I thought it was great that the track just ended with Jake Hanson playing a simple riff on his guitar.

You know, I thought I was impressed with the first track, and suddenly I was treated to “My Own Nation”.  Wow.  I am not even certain I can describe how much I dug this track.  I think you will just need to hear it for yourself (see below).  The climax of this track is where things got insane.

“.38 Airweight” brought light of Bernie Goetz, a NYC so-called vigilante douchebag who shot and killed 4 young men almost 30 years ago because he thought he was going to get mugged.  This track to me was a callout to all of the senseless violence from yesteryear and today.

“Mini Brute” was a mess of sounds that almost seemed to encompass my entire attention, pulling me away from the lyrics, but I just kept fighting to just absorb the poetry.  This track was insane.  I wish those jackasses in Akron, OH never broke into my Cavalier and stole my mediocre stereo system in 2004.  I really would have loved to have the opportunity to blast this track.

Of course “Cabin Killer” had me hoping for Evil Dead references, but instead I was treated to plenty of head-nodding smooth flows.  I wish Cecil and P.O.S. both could have kept going for a tad longer, but I am grateful for the Stay Puft reference.

“Generator” may have been speaking about speeding up, but this song just fell short.  I appreciated the Atari Teenage Riot electronic-sounding heavy beats, but overall I was kind of bored.

Thankfully “Off in the Deep” jumped out of that rut and returned to awesomeness.  P.O.S. Sims, and Dessa all took turns doing what they do best on this track.  I am still trying to figure out if they sampled a song behind the scenes on this track as it sounded so familiar.  If not, kudos to Doomtree for creating such a likable sound.

“Marathon” closed things with a punk edge thanks to the repeating hook “when it all boils down there’s nothing but bones left”.  Maybe this track was not as heavy as the others, but it was certainly the most well-written, especially the final “hashtag No Kings, crash y’alls server.”  What a way to end an album.

I can not tell you the number of times that I have gotten myself so worked up over an album only to hear it with pure disappointment.  This is so not the case as All Hands does not disappoint at all.

I think the thing I love most about Doomtree is that nothing seems generic or forced.  From the lyricism to the beats in each track, you can hear how genuine the pride is.  It is not commercial hop hop by any means and  really needs to trump some of that quick-beat, lazy written crap that seems to always grab all the attention.

This act has continued to impress me.  I would not be shocked if All Hands took them a step or two closer to the spotlight that they so much deserve.

Wharf Rats (aka P.O.S & Chris #2 of Anti-Flag) Announce Debut EP Release on No Sleep Records

Once upon a time, rapper P.O.S. and punker Chris #2 of Anti-Flag were just minding their own business on a Warped Tour.  To make a long story short, they met, became friends and formulated a collaboration of sorts called Wharf Rats with the help of a couple more friends who also fancy themselves musicians.  They all recorded material on the mobile recording studio that was offered during the Warped Tour during their down time and a side project was born.  Don’t worry, it is not a rap punk pop rock mash, it is actually very D.C. Hardcore-ish…

Wharf Rats - Capital Gains

The band actually is full of musicians you have probably heard of before:

  • P.O.S
  • Chris #2 (Anti-Flag, White Wives)
  • Wade MacNeil (Alexisonfire, Black Lungs)
  • Chachi Darin (formerly The A.K.A’s)

At this time there is only a 2 song 7″ EP up for grabs on the No Sleep Records website (available May 31st).  The 7″ actually has the two songs on one side while the other side is etched with some sweet artwork.  It’s limited to only 750 copies and includes a free digital download.  The project is limited only to those two songs with no mention from the band yet on a full length in the works or anything else for that matter.  That can always change though…

According to Wikipedia,  Wharf Rats actually are a group of concert goers who have chosen to life drug and alcohol free.  I am not sure if these punk rock Wharf Rats are, but regardless, I am a fan of their full time projects and really am digging what they have created.

Currently they have their song “Capital Gains” streaming on Spin.com for you all to hear.  See for yourself why I am digging this.

Click here to hear “Capital Gains” by Wharf Rats on Spin.com

Shwayze “Get U Home” Video / P.O.S. “Purexed” Video

It would appear that I am in a hip hop sort of mood tonight. That’s not such a bad thing you know…

Shwayze’s Cisco Adler has created his own music video for the hip-hop duo’s new single “Get U Home” off of their upcoming album Let It Beat. The video gives you a look into the fun and crazy lifestyle that the Malibu-based duo lives behind the scenes and on tour.


P.O.S. continues to drop cool videos, his latest is for “Purexed” and it debuted via MTV2‘s Unleashed and on MTVu earlier this week.  I love this song and the idea of the video just makes it that much more appealing. Check it out here:

P.O.S. Covering Pearl Jam’s “Why Go”

Hip hop sensation P.O.S. was among a select number of artists picked to cover a Pearl Jam classic track for MTV, in celebration of the re-release of their debut album Ten. P.O.S. chose to cover a unique version of “Why Go”.

P.O.S. had this to say about the song:
“I was asked if I was interested in covering a Pearl Jam song by Mtv2. I thought it was funny that they wanted to include me, being a rapper and all, but I wanted to take a shot at it. I loved Ten when it came out, rocked the tape till it popped. One of my favorites on it was “Why Go”, none of the bands they asked had picked it yet so I did. I thought about reworking the original lyrics into a rap kind of situation, but then I was playing the melody on one of my keyboards and thought it might be more fun to just straight cover it. So I did. It was fun. I hope you likes it.”

Likes it? I loves it… Check it out:

P.O.S. “Optimist” Video

I know my last blog was about P.O.S. and I feel I am starting to sound like a super fan, but when artists release videos like this…

…you have to talk about it and share it with others.

I’m not sure if you read my review of the P.O.S. CD Never Better but I did state how organic sounding the beginning of “Optimist” was and how I thought it was cups.  I had no idea he created the beat from the game that combines cups and stacking skills…very original!

I was lucky enough to receive an email today on how the song was actually created:

P.O.S. describes how “Optimist” was created:

I made the beat to this song after my friend Alegra taught me how to play a game she learned when she was young. Based off of taking a few upside down cups and tapping on them and swooshing them around. The main rhythm of the beat was made by setting up some mics and playing the game. (You see it clearly at the top of the video) I added the organs and pads to kind of soften up the hard noise of the clapping and cups. I wrote the words while listening to the beat in my car, driving around mpls (Minneapolis) trying not to sweat how it came out. This was one of the last songs I wrote for the record and I was just not about feeling any pressure. Not from the label, not from my fans, no pressure no stress. That’s where the inspiration came from for this song I think. Not worrying about what anyone has to say about anything, ever. Doing my own thing and expecting the same from everyone else. That’s where the refrain comes from, “We make our own and if they don’t feel it, then we are not for them”.

I loved the idea of this video as well as how P.O.S. created the song and just had to post it here.  I hope you all enjoyed it.