Various Artists

Sense Boardwear V - Poetry in Motion

Sense Boardwear

(Sense Boardwear Music MySpace)

So what number are we up to now? Number 5?! Well unlike all movie sequels the Sense Boardwear compilations continue to get better with each release.

Yet again, Poetry in Motion highlights the best in Reggae Rock and Hip Hop that Southern California and a little further (Japan – Sunset Bus) has got to offer. Scene veterans like The bFoundation, Ballyhoo!, Chapter 11 and The Bredrin Daddys all appear and up-and-comers like RAC, Close Enough, Fayuca and the irrepressible Mike Pinto also make the most of their limited appearance time. As always all contributing unreleased tracks.

One thing is for sure, vocalist NoNeedz is literally all over this album, appearing multiple times with his band Close Enough, solo, and on a couple of the collaboration tracks. I know I have said it before, but in-case you missed the message – this guy is an unbelievable talent. One minute he is holding his own with reggae/dancehall veterans Edly Shine (Born Jamericans) and Daddy Scotty (Chapter 11) on the title track and the next leading his band through the best Close Enough song released to date - Tammi Was. Seriously, Sense Boardwear really lucked out getting this song exclusively.

What else is a pleasure about this latest release is the stronger female presence of Lulu across some of the songs, particularly the last collaboration, Gonna be Alright. For a nice change, this time she is supported by the fellas (1daBred and Cracka T from The Bredin Daddys) not the other way around. It is super refreshing to hear a womanly voice in what has become a typically testosterone-drenched music style.

Maybe it’s for the best that the next couple of Sense Boardwear compilations are going to venture into slightly different but exciting territory (an all acoustic effort followed by an all collaboration compilation) because honestly Poetry in Motion lives up to its name and is going to be hard to top.

Reviewed by Pilipo