Ladies and gentlemen, we present to you some thoughts on the matter of SPITSHINE.
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Urthboy - Spitshine
MAG (Music Australia Guide)
Herd
impresario Urthboy has been on the verge of a classic solo record for
years. Spitshine may well be it. What makes this release so effective
is that, while filled with departures – see the rugged future hip hop
bump of Them Shackles and Fight Fire – Urthboy hasn’t abandoned his
proven approaches; he’s honed them. The rousing melody of Hellsong is
his purest yet, while his beats (from El Gusto and Count Bounce) are
mindlessly good. Yet it’s Urthboy’s lyrical development that really
impresses. On Shruggin’, he manages to recast what might have become a
preachy political trope into a stunningly personalised vision.
Dan Rule
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Urthboy - Spitshine
Sydney Morning Herald
**** (4 Stars)
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With The Herd, Urthboy's rhymes have been politically charged,
stirring the pot with calls for burning down the parliament to claims of
national racism. As a solo artist, the Sydney MCs rhymes have been more
personal, the upbeat, larrikin lyrics offset by beautiful reggae tinged
production. On his third solo outing, Urthboy continues to delivery personal
rhymes; the hardwork in Spitshine; the casual vibes of Shruggin this time
pushing the boundaries with a sound that marks a slight departure from his
usual dubbed out vibes. From the electro-rocking riffs of Served to the
post-punk in Usher in the Cool, Urthboy has delivered another solid album that
captures his unique, instantly likeable style.
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Rave Magazine
URTHBOY – Spitshine
(Elefant Traks)
Urthboy’s third solo effort
There’s
a decent chance you’ve already heard Spitshine’s fi rst single Hellsong
played on the radio. It’s as cheery and chirpy a tune about burning in
the fi res of the damned as has ever been written. So demons are going
to spit acid on us for eternity because we don’t believe in God? Who
cares, says Urthboy, let’s dance. He’s ably backed in this by singers
including Jane Tyrrell and Elana Stone doing the gloriously wobbly
outro. It’s a noble sentiment and it’s catchy as fuck. Fortunately,
Hellsong is not alone in either department on this album. The title
track has Urthy rhyming about how the
whole world could do with a
bit of a polish. The song features a chorus that sounds like an
explosion at the Nintendo factory that’s set to a beat, while blokey
shouts fi ll the recurring phrase oughta be wherever it crops up in the
verses. Spitshine slows down for contemplative tracks like Shruggin and
then gets ominous for Usher In The Cool and Above The Canopy. The
latter has guitar backing that sounds almost like Johnny Cash’s When
The Man Comes Around. Jane Tyrrell pops up all over the place to
provide soulful hooks that never fall into the trap of becoming
dolorous – she’s so clearly enjoying herself you can practically hear
the smile in her voice. Let’s go back over the checklist, then.
Diverse, check. Catchy, check. Clever, check. Great album? Check.
4 STARS - JODY MACGREGOR
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In The Mix Review
Urthboy is back on your headphones… Actually, in
the interest of the facts he never left. Since the release of his
brilliant 2007 album The Signal, Urthy has been back recording, and touring with The Herd, and 2009 sees the release of his third solo album Spitshine.
For an artist to survive and have any sort of longevity, it is
essential that they evolve. It’s very rare that an artist can keep
pumping out record after record of the same song and be regarded as
great. But it’s a fine line… Some artists evolve too quickly, releasing
a well received album then completely changing up the style for their
next release, all this achieves is alienating all the fans of your
previous record. On Spitshine, Urthy has managed to bridge the gap between The Signal and this release with amazing skill. Songs such as lead single Hellsong, which is accompanied by yet another killer video courtesy of Broken Yellow, and Shruggin’ which features one of the prettiest hooks I have heard in a while courtesy of the always brilliant Jane Tyrell, could have both easily found a home on The Signal. While other tracks such as the banger Ready to go and title track Spitshine
illustrate a slight step in a new direction for the Sydney based MC.
The beats are crunchier and more electro based on these cuts, bringing
with them a sound which is very reminisant of Hermitude’s last record, this isn’t surprising since Urthy has re-enlisted the help of El-Gusto
on this record as he has done right from his first release. It is a
trend musically which seems to be becoming more and more prevalent
throughout the entire genre, both here and overseas. Just check out
ITM’s When dance and rap collide article if you need further proof.
Jane Tyrrell and El Gusto aren’t the only artists lending their talents to Urthy’s latest. He has also enlisted the help of Lior on the track Don’t Sideline Me,
after only a few listens this quickly became one of my favourite cuts
from the record. These two artists voices compliment each other so
well, it’s as if they have been working together for years. Other
collaborators on the album are Nat Dunn, Mantra, Mark Pearl, Solo and last but most definitely not least, Count Bounce handles his share of the production duties.
Don’t be scared off by the slight change up in sound, if you enjoyed Urthy’s last two releases you will also enjoy Spitshine.
I personally feel one of Urthboys strongest selling points is that
unmistakable laidback style of his. He’s not at the front of every beat
yelling to get his point across, it’s nothing but well put together
rhymes that play out as a song and not an assault on the ears. This
will be getting a lot of spins over summer at my place.
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ONION MAGAZINE
The Scope: The Herd frontman again impresses this time with his third solo album.
I don’t really understand why Elefant Traks is so rarely mentioned
amongst the best labels in Australia, take a quick glance at the
roster; Hermitude, The Herd, Horrorshow, Astronomy Class, The Tongue
and of course Urthboy on the solo tip. Right there you have an amazing
array of artists across a broad spectrum of hip hop sounds that very
rarely disappoint. While at times I can take or leave the work of The
Herd – Summerland was amazing though – Urthboy has impressed me with
each solo offering, he is an artist not only willing to take risks but
an artist who embraces them. Spitshine is his finest work to date,
showing growth as an artist and expression of personal opinions leads
to an always improving catalogue of tracks. Willing to collaborate with
the likes of Lior whilst still sitting comfortably alongside Solo or
Mantra this release has something for everyone. Count Bounce and El
Gusto smash the production here as well, proving you can rock a room
with more than traditional boom bap sounds. Standouts for mine are
Ready To Go, Served and Fight Fire, but you won’t find yourself
reaching for skip here.
The Wrap: With little hype this is one of the best albums of 2009.
Shane Scott
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The Dwarf
Urthboy is a shining light in the darkness of Australian Hiphop.
Considering I'm actually a fan of Aussie rap, that's a fair compliment
(and a somewhat confusing metaphor). That fact that Urthboy's music
stands out amongst some excellent competition (Muph & Plutonic,
Funkoars, Stoop Fresh, Hilltop Hoods etc) is high praise reserved only
for really really good stuff. And it is.
First, the formalities; Urthboy is the monker of Tim Levinson. He's
from Sydney, and is part of Aussie hiphop group The Herd. He's guested
on tracks by Chasm, Muph & Plutonic and Hermitude. He also
produces.
He didn't produce this album though. Probably a good decision – not in
the sense that I think he's a bad producer, but in the sense that the
producers of Spitshine did such a damn good job. The opening track 'Til They Snatch This Last Page is a fantastic introduction, a fluid track with a thick beat and smooth bassline.
Urthboy's flow and vocal style is one of the best going around. He
rarely falls into the trap that so many other Australian rappers do; he
keeps his Aussie accent without making it sound bogan, remains
Australian without laying on the strine.
First single Hellsong features a catchy beat and some
awesome 80s synth effects. The thing I'm liking most about both the
song of Hell and the album as a whole is the maturity of both the
construction and performance. The depth is deeper, the feel fuller, and
the tone more mature and the end result much more enjoyable.
The vocal talents of Jane Tyrell feature here and there and lend a real smoothness and strength to the sound (Shruggin being a prime example). Don't Sideline Me (featuring Lior) is exciting. It's an Australian version of the Chris Martin-Kanye West collab. on Graduation. Fantastic piano sample/loop and great feel to the song.
Usher in the Cool has a long instrumental intro, a swirling mix
of fuzz and crunch and soaring choral vocals. The title track has a
great, hard-hitting beat, and second single Ready To Go is a
furiously fiery, funky, ferocious number in which all of the talent and
skill of Urthboy, the producers and supporting vocalists coalesce into
something special.
All I can do is recommend this fantastic junior (i.e. third) effort by one of Australia's premier hiphop artists.