Strong Arm Steady's In Search of Stoney Jackson has few surprises on it, being a natural progression from their 2007 release Deep Hearted. It also features many of the same themes and guest artists. Despite the similarities, it does represent an artistic step forward for the rap supergroup. Many of Deep Hearted's errors have been fixed, particularly the hit and miss construction of that album which left so many of the tracks feeling out of place. In Search of Stoney Jackson definitely does not roll in the same lopsided way.

Once again, the finest tracks on the album feature Planet Asia, his style blending almost seamlessly with the three emcees of Strong Arm Steady (Mitchy Slick, Phil Da Agony, and Krondon). In fact, with one exception it is only the tracks featuring Planet Asia that stand above the rest. That exception is opening track “Best of Times,” featuring Phonte. “Best of Times,” though not the most intricate track, is the most interesting, and there is a sense of disappointment that the album does not reach that high point again. “Best of Times” is tightly produced, topical anthem about working class life. As strong as the song is, it feels as though it might be the only misplaced track on the album. It's soulful emotions and slower pace make it an odd introduction to the fast paced album, although it would have been an excellent conclusion to it.

The odd placement of such an emotional and hard hitting track at the start of the album is emphasized by the track that follows. “Cheeba Cheeba” is another hip hop song about marijuana that, just like all other hip hop songs about marijuana, says nothing new and says it uninterestingly. “Cheeba Cheeba” is quite clearly the low point of the album. Unfortunately, that low point comes directly after the album's best track. Within the first few minutes of listening to this album, you will hear Strong Arm Steady at their best and at their worst. While this certainly gives the listener a chance to vet the artist, so to speak, it makes for a poor example of tone setting. Right off the bat, the album feels unsteady and unsure of itself.

This point brings to mind one of the biggest criticisms of Deep Hearted: the construction of the album itself. The songs were good, but poorly chosen and ill-fitting. By choosing long time friend of the group, Madlib, to produce the entire album, Strong Arm Steady mostly avoided that problem this time around. If the jarring bolt of those first two songs is overlooked, the album is much more coherently produced than it's predecessor. Without sounding overproduced, the album retains much of the jam session feeling that was clearly intended while also avoiding too rough of a sound. Madlib provides some truly excellent beats and samples for the emcees to flow on, and also brings a great deal of talent in the form of guest artists. Notable is the appearance of Talib Kweli on “Get Started.” Kweli and Madlib have different styles that feel like they ought not go together, but end up working well to create a very different listening experience.

As interesting as that experience is, it is not a Talib Kweli and Madlib album in question. While the roster of guest appearances is impressive, and several of them give amazing performances, it seems that Strong Arm Steady themselves are upstaged by their guests a bit too often. There are moments when it seems more like Madlib's name ought to be on the cover of the album. However, there as many moments when Mitchy Slick and Krondon manage to bring their styles together to create something that demands attention. While Mitchy Slick seems to be ahead of Krondon in sheer ability to flow, Krondon has a voice and delivery that do much to bridge that gap.

In Search of Stoney Jackson is a satisfying album, that solves many issues Strong Arm Steady has struggled with in the past. But it satisfies without rousing desire for more. It feels as though Strong Arm Steady has only this much to say, and now that they have said it well, there is nowhere else to go. This need not be a negative mark on the album at hand, though. In Search of Stoney Jackson is a musical success where Deep Hearted was not, and there are groups which produce album after album without being able to say as much.

In Search of Stoney Jackson will be released on January 26, 2010 by Stones Throw Records, and is available as an mp3 download now on Stones Throw's website.

Track List:
1. Best of Times (ft. Phonte)
2. Cheeba Cheeba
3. Chittlins & Pepsi (ft. Planet Asia)
4. Telegram
5. Questions (ft. Planet Asia & Fashawn)
6. Smile
7. New Love (ft. Planet Asia & Tri-State)
8. Get Started (ft. Talib Kweli)
9. Interlude 1
10. Pressure (ft. Sick Jacken & Mitchy Slick)
11. True Champs (ft. Montage One, Evidence, Oh No & Roc C)
12. Needle In The Haystack (ft. Roscoe & Guilty Simpson)
13. Interlude 2
14. Ambassadors (ft. Planet Asia & Chace Infinite)
15. Chants
16. Bark Like A Dog (ft. Phats Bossalini & Montage One)
17. Two Pistols (ft. Mitchy Slick)
18. Outro