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.

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.

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