Beautifully Pissed Off

A little background information on P.O.S. is important to gaining a true understanding of his sound and aesthetic; basically, Stephan Alexander is one pissed-off dude. P.O.S. stands for any number of things, including Pissed Off Steph, Promise of Skill/Stress, Piece of Sh*t and Product of Society. He grew up playing guitar and doing vocals in punk/hardcore bands before discovering the soon-to-explode Minneapolis hip-hop scene, home to artists such as Atmosphere and Musab (then known as Beyond, when he was a member of Atmosphere). After forming the Doomtree collective with friend and collaborator Cecil Otter, P.O.S. released his debut album, Ipecac Neat, independently in 2004 before being picked up by Rhymesayers Entertainment.

Audition is the follow-up to Ipecac Neat and seeks to build upon the elements of punk, hardcore, alternative and hip-hop contained in the first record while sporting a more streamlined sound and consistent vibe throughout. The result is one of the most astounding and unique hip-hop listening experiences to come out in the last decade. P.O.S. does it all here – rapping, singing and screaming while playing guitar, bass and keys across sixteen tracks of visceral, atmospheric and occasionally abrasive soundscapes. Lyrically, the emcee is unabashedly bold in attacking modern society; whether his target is the government, the film or recording industries, other people or even his own inner demons, P.O.S. tackles each subject with a reckless abandon perfectly befitting his punk-rock roots. The opening line on the first proper track of the record is “first of all, f*ck Bush—that’s all, that’s the end of it” (Audition was released in 2006, making that statement considerably more relevant in context), and he continues to spit fire throughout the remaining three and a half minutes of “Half-Cocked Concepts.” On another particularly strong track, the Lazerbeak-produced “Stand Up (Let’s Get Murdered),” P.O.S. asks, “we’re talking about the most hated machine of all time, but in November who had the patience to stand in line?”

Part of Audition’s allure is that P.O.S. is unafraid to question the status quo, and the sound of the record is unconventional for hip-hop. The production is often jagged and heavy-hitting while somehow remaining melodic at the same time. Case in point is album highlight “P.O.S. Is Ruining My Life,” where distorted guitars and a catchy bassline transition the song from hardcore-influenced verses into a smooth and catchy chorus that feels as much like an ethos as it does a sigh of relief.

It’s been said that Doomtree, and more specifically P.O.S., makes hip-hop for people who don’t like hip-hop, and to a certain extent that’s true. There are a lot of elements present here that aren’t foundational tenets of the genre, and those ideas can make the sound more accessible to listeners who are typically drawn to alternative, punk and metal. However, any hip-hop head who dismisses this album based solely on aesthetic differences could be missing out on one of the better releases in recent memory.

What ultimately makes Audition so compelling is that none of its experimentation feels forced. P.O.S. isn’t simply grafting punk-rock guitars and hardcore aggression onto hip-hop beats for novelty’s sake; those influences are fundamental to the way he writes, performs and sees the world. The anger, anxiety and defiance running through the album feel genuine, and the production gives those emotions a fittingly volatile backdrop. Even when the record becomes abrasive, it rarely loses its sense of melody or momentum.

Audition is the sound of an artist refusing to choose between the different musical worlds that shaped him. It is confrontational without becoming one-dimensional, experimental without sacrificing hooks, and personal without losing sight of the larger social issues P.O.S. is so eager to attack. The result is an album that feels distinctly its own – a chaotic, intelligent and remarkably cohesive collision of punk and hip-hop that sounds every bit as vital as the ideas behind it.