ALBUM SCAN: Carried Away

People Under The Stairs
Carried Away (2009)
Album Scan
By Josh B.

If I was Kool Moe Dee and I was handing out my famous Hip-Hop Report Card, I would have to give People Under the Stairs 7th album “Carried Away” an A for sticking to the themes.  From its beats, rhymes, swagger, and execution, it is one of the most solid hip-hop albums I have heard in a while.  PUTS have been together for over 10 years now and are still going strong. 

Fans of PUTS will want to know first thing what the record sounds like.  Well don’t worry it is still definitely a PUTS record.  In fact it is their most focused record they have put out since their first album “The Next Step”.  Usually they have 20 plus tracks to an album but this one has been stripped down to 17 solid tracks.   Thes One is still handling the majority of the production with Double K doing his obligatory three tracks and all of the scratches.  Production-wise it steps back into their more accessible sound.  Unlike their last album FUN-DMC (Which I still loved) that utilized a new production style, that really smoothed out all of their samples and loops to make their music sound more like a live band, this time around the drums are really brought back to the four-front again.  It has been noted by the group itself that this album was intentionally recorded as an homage to their influences such as Tribe Called Quest, The Pharcyde and The Beastie Boys by utilizing old samplers, drum machines, and tons of funk and rock records to sample from.  Thes One even went the extra mile and recorded the final mixes using a reel to reel. 

Don’t get it wrong though PUTS are not resting on their laurels one bit.  If anything they take an “Attack and Release” approach to this record, alternating between rocking party anthems (Step Off, Hit the Top, Trippin at the Disco, Beer) and really laid back chill tracks (Listen, 80 Blocks From Silverlake, Come On Let’s Get High, DQMOT, Down in LA, Carried Away).  While still maintaining their signature sound they also managed to slip in some next level styles as well.  Take for instance the track “Trippin at the Disco” the beat is so smooth and Mike and Chris’ flow is just so relaxed it makes me think the closest track I have ever heard like it would be “Hey Ladies” by the Beastie Boys a la “Paul’s Boutique” style. 

Speaking of the lyrics PUTS have never sounded as relaxed and at home on another record.  They are so in sync on this record you could swear it was the second coming of Q-Tip and Phife.  An example of their exchanges would be on the track “Much to Much”.  In it they just keep trying to top each other with examples of things that they deem are played out.  The track is rapid fire and clever at the same time something that is sorely missing in hip-hop today.  Throughout the album you also get the feeling that Thes One and Double K are closer than ever just because of all the jokes littered through out the album, from skits, to lyrics, and even using a samples from “The Price is Right” and “The Office” it just sounds like they are having a blast. 

All of these themes; crazy beats, light saber slicing lyrics, and funny ass humor, easily makes this one of the best underground albums of 09. 

Favorite Track: “Beer” -808 all over the place plus a great drinking song.
Least Favorite Track: “Teeth” –Trips to the dentist isn’t hip-hop, as Tracy Morgan would say.