Never Better (album)
Encyclopedia
Never Better is the third full-length album from Minneapolis punk
-inspired hip hop
artist P.O.S The first single, "Goodbye" was released in Mid-December, 2008. The second single, "Drumroll (We're All Thirsty)" was released Mid-January on iTunes
and Amazon.com
. The track "Savion Glover" is a remix of a track previously released on Doomtree
's "False Hopes 12", in 2007.
Over half of the record is produced by POS himself, along with contributions from Doomtree Producers Lazerbeak, Paper Tiger, and MK Larada. It features guest verses from Doomtree compatriots Sims, Cecil Otter, and Dessa, as well as Astronautalis
.
The album was also released in a limited custom transparent digipak edition designed by Minneapolis designer Eric Carlson, featuring 16 solid picture inserts with 6 plastic overlays, allowing the owner to create their own cover art combinations.
, which assigns a normalized
rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album has received an average
score of 75, based on 8 reviews.
Many reviewers on the site rapreviews.com placed this album in their top ten list for 2009, with it even claiming the number one spot in a few.
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
-inspired hip hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
artist P.O.S The first single, "Goodbye" was released in Mid-December, 2008. The second single, "Drumroll (We're All Thirsty)" was released Mid-January on iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
and Amazon.com
Amazon.com
Amazon.com, Inc. is a multinational electronic commerce company headquartered in Seattle, Washington, United States. It is the world's largest online retailer. Amazon has separate websites for the following countries: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Japan, and...
. The track "Savion Glover" is a remix of a track previously released on Doomtree
Doomtree
Doomtree is a hip hop collective based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Members of Doomtree bring various bases of knowledge and musical backgrounds together to create alternative-influenced rap and hip-hop music. Nearly as prominent as the influence of hip-hop in their music is that of punk, and their...
's "False Hopes 12", in 2007.
Over half of the record is produced by POS himself, along with contributions from Doomtree Producers Lazerbeak, Paper Tiger, and MK Larada. It features guest verses from Doomtree compatriots Sims, Cecil Otter, and Dessa, as well as Astronautalis
Astronautalis
Astronautalis is an American hip hop artist based out of Minneapolis, Minnesota.After gaining some renown in local circles in Jacksonville and competing at Scribble Jam, Astronautalis self-released his debut album, You and Yer Good Ideas, in 2003...
.
The album was also released in a limited custom transparent digipak edition designed by Minneapolis designer Eric Carlson, featuring 16 solid picture inserts with 6 plastic overlays, allowing the owner to create their own cover art combinations.
Reception
Initial critical response to Never Better was favorable. At MetacriticMetacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
, which assigns a normalized
Standard score
In statistics, a standard score indicates how many standard deviations an observation or datum is above or below the mean. It is a dimensionless quantity derived by subtracting the population mean from an individual raw score and then dividing the difference by the population standard deviation...
rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album has received an average
Weighted mean
The weighted mean is similar to an arithmetic mean , where instead of each of the data points contributing equally to the final average, some data points contribute more than others...
score of 75, based on 8 reviews.
Many reviewers on the site rapreviews.com placed this album in their top ten list for 2009, with it even claiming the number one spot in a few.
Track listing
| # | Title | Time | Performer(s) | Producer(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Let It Rattle | 3:33 | P.O.S | Lazerbeak |
| 2 | Drumroll (We're All Thirsty) | 2:37 | P.O.S, Doomtree | P.O.S |
| 3 | Savion Glover Savion Glover Savion Glover is an American tap dancer, actor, and choreographer. As a learning prodigy, he was taught by notable dancers from previous generations. Glover is currently interested in restoring African roots to tap... |
2:19 | P.O.S | P.O.S |
| 4 | Purexed | 3:24 | P.O.S | Lazerbeak |
| 5 | Graves (We Wrote the Book) | 3:14 | P.O.S | Lazerbeak |
| 6 | Goodbye | 3:07 | P.O.S | Lazerbeak |
| 7 | Get Smokes | 2:38 | P.O.S, Jessy Greene Jessy Greene Jessy Greene is a violin, cello, and vocal musician from Sheffield, Massachusetts, USA. She has released two albums, Blue Sky , and A Demon & Her Lovers . She was a former member of Geraldine Fibbers and The Jayhawks. Jessy has also played with a number of artists including Wilco, Atmosphere,... |
P.O.S |
| 8 | Been Afraid | 3:39 | P.O.S | Lazerbeak |
| 9 | Low Light Low Life | 3:14 | P.O.S, Sims, Cecil Otter, Dessa Dessa Dessa is a spoken word artist, author, and MC from Minneapolis, MN. She is best known as a member of the Doomtree Hip-Hop Collective.-Education:... |
Paper Tiger |
| 10 | The Basics (Alright) | 3:23 | P.O.S | P.O.S, Dosh |
| 11 | Out of Category | 3:16 | P.O.S | P.O.S |
| 12 | Optimist (We Are Not for Them) | 3:19 | P.O.S | P.O.S |
| 13 | Terrorish | 2:13 | P.O.S, Jason Shevchuk Jason Shevchuk Jason Shevchuk is the singer and guitarist for the band None More Black. He is formerly the singer for the band Kid Dynamite and singer and guitarist for the band LaGrecia.... |
P.O.S |
| 14 | Never Better | 4:03 | P.O.S, Judah Nagler Judah Nagler Judah Nagler is the singer for The Velvet Teen, an Indie/Baroque Pop band from Santa Rosa in Northern California. He was born on June 19, 1980.- Tin Circus :... |
P.O.S |
| 15 | The Brave and the Snake/ Hand Made Hand Gun (Hidden Track) |
3:46/ 5:50 |
P.O.S, Astronautalis Astronautalis Astronautalis is an American hip hop artist based out of Minneapolis, Minnesota.After gaining some renown in local circles in Jacksonville and competing at Scribble Jam, Astronautalis self-released his debut album, You and Yer Good Ideas, in 2003... |
MK Larada - |
Samples and References
- Graves (We Wrote the Book) interpolatesInterpolation (music)Interpolation in music refers to an abrupt change in musical elements from the main theme.-In classical music:In music and musical composition, especially 20th century and later, interpolation is an abrupt change of elements, with continuation of the first idea...
elements from Ten Grand's Grave? Shovel? Let's Go!. - Savion Glover samples from Fugazi's Five Corporations.
- Let It Rattle references comedian Mitch HedbergMitch HedbergMitchell Lee "Mitch" Hedberg was an American stand-up comedian known for his surreal humor and unconventional comedic delivery. His comedy typically featured short, sometimes one-line jokes, mixed with absurd elements and non sequiturs...
with the line "Bush no more, nobody's like 'Dufresne, search party of four'" as well as The Big LebowskiThe Big LebowskiThe Big Lebowski is a 1998 comedy film written and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen. Jeff Bridges stars as Jeff Lebowski, an unemployed Los Angeles slacker and avid bowler, who is referred to as "The Dude". After a case of mistaken identity, The Dude is introduced to a millionaire also named...
with the lines "You're out of your element, Donnie, shut up," and "The Dude abides." Also the song includes a slight reference to NasNasNasir bin Olu Dara Jones, who performs under the name Nas , formerly Nasty Nas, is an American rapper and actor. He is regarded as one of the most important figures in hip hop and one of the most skilled and influential rappers of all-time...
and his song "The World Is Yours" with the line "They out for presidents to represent them." The song also references professional wrestlers Ravishing Rick Rude and Macho Man Randy Savage. - Drumroll (We're All Thirsty) references the Japanese jazz collective The SeatbeltsThe Seatbeltswas a Japanese blues/jazz band led by composer and instrumentalist Yoko Kanno.-Band history:The name of the band, according to the fictional description given in the anime series Cowboy Bebop, derives from how the performers wear seatbelts to be safe while they play hardcore jam sessions.The band...
. - Purexed references American post-metal band IsisIsis (band)Isis was a Los Angeles, California-based post-metal band, founded in Boston, Massachusetts, with a career spanning from 1997 to 2010...
- Brave and the Snake is a reference to the online video Brave Rabbit vs. Snake
- Low Light Low Life references Law & OrderLaw & OrderLaw & Order is an American police procedural and legal drama television series, created by Dick Wolf and part of the Law & Order franchise. It aired on NBC, and in syndication on various cable networks. Law & Order premiered on September 13, 1990, and completed its 20th and final season on May 24,...
as well as its creator Dick WolfDick WolfRichard Anthony "Dick" Wolf is an American producer, specializing in crime dramas such as Miami Vice and the Law & Order franchise. Throughout his career he has won several awards including an Emmy Award and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.-Early life:Wolf was born in New York City, the son...
and includes a guitar riff that is derived from Don HenleyDon HenleyDonald Hugh "Don" Henley is an American singer, songwriter and drummer, best known as a founding member of the Eagles before launching a successful solo career. Henley was the drummer and lead vocalist for the Eagles from 1971–1980, when the band broke up...
's "The Boys of SummerThe Boys of Summer (song)"The Boys of Summer" is a song by Don Henley, with lyrics written by Henley and music composed by Henley and Mike Campbell, longtime guitarist for Tom Petty. It is the lead track and first single from Henley's 1984 album Building the Perfect Beast. The song's music video won many awards...
" hit. - Get Smokes samples the film Knocked UpKnocked UpKnocked Up is a 2007 American romantic comedy drama film co-produced, written, and directed by Judd Apatow. Starring Seth Rogen, Katherine Heigl, Paul Rudd, and Leslie Mann, the film follows the repercussions of a drunken one-night stand between Rogen's slacker character and Heigl's just-promoted...