People Under The Stairs

With an unwavering devotion to their vinyl crates, L.A. duo Thes One and Double K ardently flaunt their beats and rhymes as if trapped in a time warp of the recent past. It's not like they're not aware of this, Question in the Form of An Answer begins with a chorus of fervent naysayers laying a litany of charges against the group for not representing that elusive and rather tired definition of "real." But as they say on "Crazy Live," "Ain't got no message for you/We leave that up to other crews," simply vowing to "take it back to '92." Outstanding production from Thes One is impressive in its sonic breadth and depth, guiding the PUTS sound through smooth jazzy mid-tempo head nod territory, with humorous interludes fuelling the duo's mic rocking. Employing a feel-good vibe that is reminiscent of their associates Ugly Duckling, People Under The Stairs could tighten up their rhyme skills a little to match their impeccable production. Still, this refreshing sophomore full-length's minor blemishes do little to dull the shamelessly ardent throwback enthusiasm.