Grand Don't Come For Free, A [PA] - Streets (The) > Reviews > Could Well Be In...

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Groundbreaking
Lyrics	Thought-provoking
Quality and consistency of tracks	A couple of weak links
Value for Money

Advantages:	Original
Disadvantages:	Not For Everyone

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

Ah The Streets - Britain's Eminem, A Poet, The New Shakespeare. Err.. well no actually.

All these labels are inaccurate but Mike Skinner is, in my opinion, a superb, original artist. He is not the British Eminem because he's songs cover more than 4 topics (in Eminem's case hatred of his mum, hatred of his ex, love of his daughter and the fact he thinks everyone picks on him). He's not a poet because well that's a bit 'wanky' in the man's own words. And to call him the new Shakespeare is pretentious and a vast mistake. Firstly the two are incomparable, they are so completely different and secondly we have yet to see if Skinner's music will be around in hundreds of year's (although he claims on Sharp Darts of his debut album 'in 500 years they'll play this in museums' we shall see...)

Despite all this I'm am well and truly camped on the 'love him' side of the love him/hate him debate. Which is a bit strange really because im public enemy number 1 for Rap music - the middle class white boy. Hip-Hop and Rap really aren't my kind of music apart from NERD, Ludacris and The Streets.

The first strength of A Grand... is that it is very original. There isn't anyone else around making music about missed DVD rental return dates, a broken TV or flirting in McDonalds.

Secondly it is a concept album that works. I was put off by 'Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots' by The Flaming Lips as there wasn't an obvious flow from track to track and it only contained 4 good songs. 'A Grand...'s songs all work well as individual songs but really shine when put in the context of the whole album and the underlying concept - the loss of the grand that didn't come for free.

The really strange thing is that, like a good book or film, you actually care what happens to the characters especially the lead character Mike. You feel sorry for him in the superb 'Dry Your Eyes' , you feel for Mikes mate Scott caught in a dilemma in 'What Is He Thinking' and you feel relieved when Mike doesn't lose the last of his money betting on the footie in 'Not Addicted'.

For me the pick of the tracks are the two slower ones - 'Could Well Be In' and 'Dry Your Eyes'. Could Well Be In tells of Mike's first date with love interest Simone in the local pub and the connection he feels there is. Dry Your Eyes is soon to be realeased as a single and is sublime. Beauty isn't a word often used to describe this genre but the frank honesty, raw emotion and fact that Mike's feelings are laid so bare make it hard to use another word.

The rest of the album is of a very igh standard with the last single 'Fit But You Know It' and 'Wouldn't Have It Any Other Way' the pick of the rest.

A Grand... needs to be listened to start to finish to be truly appreciated. It isn't going to be for everyone and with the exception of 'Dry Your Eyes' and 'Could Well Be In' it's not going to convert too many anti-Streets campaigners but for anyone who liked the first album or 'Fit But You Know It' then you should buy 'A Grand...' now, if not sooner.