P.O.S

Brother Ali

Brother Ali stands with struggling homeowners in “Work Everyday” video

Brother Ali: Mourning in America and Dreaming in ColorBrother Ali: Mourning in America and Dreaming in Color (Rhymesayers, 9/18/12)

Hip-hop artist/activist Brother Ali has worked with Occupy Homes Minnesota to try and stop foreclosures in the state, at one point even taken into custody for civil disobedience. Now the movement has debuted a video for his track “Work Everyday,” a heartfelt solidarity anthem for those on the street dealing with the consequences of the financial collapse. Featuring cameos by P.O.S, Jackson Browne, Tom Morello, and more, the video is a real-life montage of those on the domestic frontlines.

Dark Time Sunshine

Nose-picking couch-rapping: Dark Time Sunshine, Aesop Rock & Swamburger in “Take My Hand” video

Dark Time Sunshine: ANXDark Time Sunshine: ANX (Fake Four, 7/24/12)

Consisting of Grayskul’s Onry Ozzborn and producer Zavala, Dark Time Sunshine is a lesser-known gem in underground hip hop. The duo’s newest album, ANX, is a diverse offering with quite a few standout guests, including P.O.S, Aesop Rock, Busdriver, and more — one worth exploring.

Here’s the new video for “Take My Hand,” featuring Swamburger and Aesop (who spends most of it picking his nose).

P.O.S

P.O.S gets weird with goats, fire-eaters, and contortionists in “Weird Friends” video

P.O.S: We Don't Even Live HereP.O.S: We Don’t Even Live Here (Rhymesayers, 10/23/12)

Rapper, rock musician, and Doomtree co-founder P.O.S may be suffering from issues with his kidneys, but that doesn’t stop him from raising a little hell. In the video for “Weird Friends (We Don’t Even Live Here)” off his 2012 album We Don’t Even Live Here, the rapper takes the conceptual title to heart.

The video exhibits goats, fire-eaters, contortionists, and more cavorting in what may be an abandoned asylum, while Stefon narrates the whole thing over a beat by Housemeister in his energetic punk style.

ALARM's 50 Favorite Songs of 2012

ALARM’s 50 (+5) Favorite Songs of 2012

Last month ALARM presented its 50 favorite albums of 2012, an eclectic, rock-heavy selection of discs that were in steady rotation in our downtown-Chicago premises. Now, to give some love to tunes that were left out, we have our 50 (+5) favorite songs of last year — singles, B-sides, EP standouts, soundtrack cuts, and more.

ALARM's 50 Favorite Albums of 2012

ALARM’s 50 Favorite Albums of 2012

Another year, another torrential downpour of albums across our desks. As always, we encountered way too much amazing music, from Meshuggah to The Mars Volta, Converge, Killer Mike, P.O.S, and many more.

P.O.S

Interview: P.O.S throws an anarchist dance party

This interview appears in ALARM #40. Subscribe here to get your copy!

[Ed. note: ALARM contributing writer Bobby Markos was improperly uncredited in print. We sincerely regret the error.]

POS: We Don't Even Live HereP.O.S: We Don’t Even Live Here (Rhymesayers, 10/23/12)

“Fuck Your Stuff”

P.O.S: “Fuck Your Stuff”

With an ear for diversity and a mind for critical thought, Stefon Alexander — better known as rapper P.O.S — has maintained operations as a multi-instrumentalist by day and rap artist by night. The early-30-something is a man whose DIY/punk upbringing aligns him more with Ian MacKaye than Kanye West, and that’s reflected in his many and assorted rock-band roles, including his current gig as keyboardist/vocalist for Marijuana Deathsquads.

But no matter the project, Alexander continues to reinvent himself with each release. His latest as P.O.S, We Don’t Even Live Here, is a testament to his 360-degree perspective of both music and the world we live in. Here he discusses what has changed in his life as well as the new album’s danceable vibe and anti-capitalist theme.

ALARM Magazine: Nov/Dec 2012

Free iPad download of ALARM #40 w/ Soundgarden, Refused, Converge

ALARM is back in print, and being the shameless self-promoters that we are, we’d love if you bought a print subscription. But let’s say that you have one of these newfangled “iPads.” Let’s also say that you like free things, particularly those that pertain to awesome music and cultural stuff. In that event, might we direct you to download ALARM #40 (Nov/Dec 2012) for free?

Go here to read about and see what’s inside #40, which includes interviews with and stories on Soundgarden, Refused, Converge, Melvins, Dirty Projectors, Bloc Party, P.O.S, Squarepusher, Fang Island, and more.

Then go to bit.ly/ALARMiPad and click on “view in iTunes” to download that bad boy for $0.00. Mom might not love loud music, but she digs thriftiness. Make mom proud.