Sense Wondah "Year Of The Wondah" Hoodstars.net review

[GOD]

http://www.hoodstars.net/reviews/albums-mixtapes/010406-sensewondah-yearodthewondah.shtml

Sense Wondah - Year Of The Wondah
As reviewed by Amen-Ra
 
Mixtapes actually started out ON TAPE. Crazy concept I know, but these 'mini-albums' have been the staple of hiphop for a long ass time & have helped alot of artists go from underground to the top shelf. Even today, artists on the top shelf drop mixtapes cos they know fans are rabid & labels can't drop new albums from them every month or quater as it's not cost-effective. Most mixtapes are forgettable. But what if you're an underground artist, how can your mixtape be out there competing with the 'big boys'? Or Can it?

Sense Wondah will mean very little to those not clued into the underground scene. The artwork alone will appear very strange too. And perhaps even putting the CD into your system & hitting play what you hear for the first few minutes may sound very strange. Why is it strange? Because you're someone who doesn't understand where hiphop came from or who appreciates those who understand the history of the artform & the history of how the music in hiphop progressed.

'Year Of The Wondah' is such a throwback listen for me in terms of beats. Lyrically, Sense is sharp & you can't fault the dude lyrically. Sense come straight off the east coast & everything about the mixtape material lets you know that. His lyrics are not 'gangsta', nor are they your typical 'white-boy-lyrics'. One track which I have to say once I heard it, it stunned me & I think the fact it was a ballsy choice to do as an acapella was 'Sign Of The Times'.

'Napolean Dynamite' is one of those tracks that really for me shows something that the east coast was doing for so long that was so damn good before it decided to go 'hollywood' in it's style & sound. The track is pretty much relentless in the pace of the flow & the beat. For me, it is the track defines the mixtape.

Now, it's not all good. I'm spoiled by mixtapes today & the fact they're album length & this mixtape is very short, despite clockin 20 tracks deep. There's alot of very short tracks & some skits/intervals. And I guess part of this is my fault as a consumer/fan of music that because the major artists dropping mixtapes have spoiled the shit outta me, I now expect the same kinda 'volume' outta every mixtape I get.

THA 'HOOD SAYS:
'Year Of The Wondah' is such a refreshing break from the current trend in mixtapes where there's 'major-label' slickness in the production, artwork, material & presentation. The beats are refreshing & such a throwback to what was so awesome about the east coast before it got 'Diddified' by Puff. Sense's lyrics are smart. His flow is refreshing & not as sacharine as whatever flavor of the month rap artist the majors are pushing. Put it this way, spending 9 bucks on this album is not criminal, but not copping it might be...

HOODSTAR RATING:     
(4.0/5.0)
REVIEWED BY: Amen-Ra

Check out Sense and All Business at http://www.AllBusinessRecords.com