I am in two minds about this album, on one hand it is refreshing to experience not just another flashy battle record, an album with layers of intellect and positive messages. On the other hand I’m finding it progressively more and more difficult to swallow all the politics being injected into Australian hip hop, not merely on the merit that it is political in subject. More the fact that all the political hip hop is coming from one subgenre of Australian hip hop, stating relatively the same thing, addressing the same facts and expressing the same opinions. I am not at all suggesting that music be ‘dumbed down’ or that politics and music are not compatible, I revel in the fact it’s becoming more and more common for Australian hip hop to be intellectually stimulating. Politics are just not my thing, and I find it difficult to engage myself with music saturated in them.

To me, for politics to work in music, they have to be new opinions, outspoken speakers, heavily relevant subjects and above all have something solid to say. All we are getting these days are recycled concepts delivered in the same way about the same things. I understand the drastic changes in worldwide political climates over the past 5 years and how this influences and inspires artists, yet I fail to understand why the general listener continues to support the same groups of people, saying the same thing, about the same politics on every album. Tzu, The Herd, Good Buddha, Bretheren, DUB, Upshot and so many others are all tackling politics in the same way and it’s starting to become old. On the same hand they produce solid music, excel with rhymes and are the best at what they do. This is why I am in two minds.

All this said, the subject matter does not detract from the lyrical skill and delivery that Urthboy has down pat, the production also is first class, it is merely my personal and rather opposed opinions on politics and music that makes this review at all negative. The album is easy on the ear but at times a little too easy, it’s not difficult to tune out from what’s happening due to the laid back and quiet nature of the beats and rhymes. It features Seed MC, Toe-Fu, Mark Pearl and fellow Herd member Ozi Battler that all make solid contributions. My highlights were No Rider featuring Toe-Fu, which utilises a Cat Empire-esque live element with heavy horns and strong drumlines, also Sink In which made great use of Guitar and drums. Long Walk Home and Keep it Relevant also stood out. A good release but not my scene. Listen and see for yourself.