Grand Don't Come For Free, A [PA] - Streets (The) > Reviews > Where Could You find a Grand

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Average
Lyrics	Sublime
Quality and consistency of tracks	Mixed
Value for Money	Good

Advantages:	More than there are dis - advantages
Disadvantages:	See Review

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

With The Streets success being thrown further in our faces, how are we able to dismiss their talent despite your taste of music?

Bringing Birmingham into the papers, street music onto the radio and social living issues into question and debate, what else could you expect to come good from this - The Streets? …

A Grand Don't Come For Free ? ? ?

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The Streets - Background
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Birmingham home boy Mike Skinner & Friends began their mission a long time ago while still at school. But it was last year that Skinner became successful with a new record deal and released their first single ' Has It Come To This' reaching the Top 10 and staying solid still for 3 weeks.

But this was to be no one hit wonder like I am sometimes claimed to be. Their first and previous album - Original Pirate Material received a huge response not only in sales but in the media as well securing them a future and recognition from all over.

Many of you are aware of the quite few attempts that British artists have had trying to hit big worldwide America most important. Though how many of you aware it took just 4 weeks for tickets to sell out for the 5 events in America which The Streets had set up as a opening tour of America. The " Yankees" had captured The Streets sound through the Atlantic winds and The Streets had become successful to overcome tough opposition where others had failed.

The Streets have had much more media coverage this year from good press to bad but which side does the new album slide along to? Or has it already failed and ready to bury The Streets for good?

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The Streets - Tracks On the Album
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01 ~ IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE SO EASY
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Again Skinner introduces you to the album with a thump. He brings it straight to your face and should have offered life-jackets for our ears as the heavy drum loop and steady paced synths flood your ears and get you immediately swaying with the tune.

The lyrics in this opening tune brings you right back to the typical estate life you constantly hear Skinner talking of. But the lyrics are not so typical because not only does he address the downfalls of the day but he uses the introduction with the right timing and in the correct way, to introduce us to his mis-fortune of loosing a £1,000 somehow this day.

02 ~ COULD WELL BE IN
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The tunes much gentle on the ears so take out the plugs and lay back and listen to the piano playing followed by a 2 beat synth. ' Could Well Be In' is an easy listening tune which uses a calmer playing foreground to bring the lyrics closer in focus.

Skinner sounds like he's just talking to you here, so down to earth and true to life, the fit girl working in JD to her phone being stuck to her face. Skinner's pacing through the night talking you through his conversation and yet it's so clever how this can be brought into music.

03 ~ *** NOT ADDICTED ***
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Tune's heavy not in the way of it having some fat baseline banging out in the background but more of a confused heavy because the sounds and baseline used still hasn't convinced me the tune sounds right. There isn't no steady pace or rhythm just a repeating and a somewhat annoying pop influenced beat.

The lyrics are quite good mentioning the old fruit machine a ' geezer' favourite and being in the bookies placing a bet trying hard to gain back the money Skinner's lost desperately waisting away his time and change hoping to hit jackpot. We've all been there before at some time in our lives and it don't matter how addicted we say we're not, addiction is blind to the truth and that's a quality point he brings across despite the tune sounding something of some cheesy advert.

04 ~ BLINDED BY THE LIGHTS
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I love the sound to this tune not only is it unique but striking also. The tune drops straight into a clear cut drum intro stepping into tune and chords with a fast but sharp sound really dragging you into the tune. This has pace, rhythm and satisfaction like a few other tunes on this album.

Again it's life he's talking of but it's a night of tradegy for the guy, he's lost his woman, the night's getting dark, the toilets are stinking resulting in the taking of drugs to wipe the night of a bad time. Whether you agree with drugs or not, this is life and it's all about being real.

The talk of drug taking and the results are mentioned more later in the tune, for some that can be a put off to buying the album, to others you can simply agree and for the rest of you it's about appreciating we all have a different way of dealing of things so listen up because Skinner's hitting a tough time but tomorrow will be a new day with new opportunities and the next tune swings this into play so skip the track if you must.

05 ~ WOULDN'T HAVE IT ANY OTHER WAY
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I can't really put anything to this tune as in sound and satisfaction. It just sounds like an average tune, nothing too heavy and nothing too great but again it's the lyrics that get you listening to this tune if you do.

There's no place like home and yes we've heard it time and time before but this time your going to be told this in such a different away. Lots of talk about rolling spliffs and actually gets a bit much but then for you guys who've tried the stuff when your in the comfort of your own home what do you do while watching 'The Bill' sat there with a drink and some rizzla?

I think the only real clever thing about this tune is how he brings many different essences of life such as tv, girls, drinking, thinking and smoking all into one tune remembering that he rhymes this out and swings it into rhythm. One you'll enjoy listening to but not something you are sure to remember.

06 ~ GET OUT OF MY HOUSE
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There is nothing about this tune worth mentioning on the music side of the tune. It's a shame and brings negativity to the album as it doesn't sustain his musical talent which I personally believe he does have.

In fact the lyrics don't go too far in this neither. All he chats on about is having some barny with a woman as guys usually do but really, I'm not going to waist your time as your reading this or Skinner will have you taking me to court and robbing me of me pennies so press ' Skip' on the stereo.

07 ~ FIT BUT YOU KNOW IT
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This tune's really snappy and you've all heard it before because its that fast bouncy tune that sticks in your heading getting you dreaming of PoP Idol singing " I'm not trying to pull you …".

What I like about this is it so separates the girls from the boys. Complete definition all over. Guys who constantly go for a girl and their body trying desperately not to show their after it. Guys are always trying to prove their not bothered by a girl and the body but Skinner admits to this with this one line easy -

" Your eyes locked onto my course
I couldnt concentrate on what i wanted to order,
Which cost me my place in the queue i waited for "

Definition of a TRUE Fit girl - They know it! And despite there being many girls who will play hard arguing at their best against this the guys outweigh it because the times I've been looked at like - Yeah ok then, and the girl walks off.

Listen to this tune I dare you girls, guys too if you can. You'll realize just how stupid us guys can be by pretending we are not bothered by going, well I only fancied you a bit and girls, well, you'll learn a few things!

08 ~ SUCH A TWAT
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Shocked you will be to find this tune is not talking about me or Mr.Blair but again you will be shocked by the sound of the tune. Quite ery and dark sounding, creepy and well, weird.

Skinner so far throughout the album has concentrated on keeping the flow and keeping you updated with this weird month of his. But he seems to go a little of key and like he says in this very tune, off the plot. Skinner talks about him being a ' twat' pointing out where and what he's doing wrong which is usually quite difficult for any bloke but other than him being a !!! for loosing a grand this tune just makes him look like a !!!

09 ~ WHAT IS HE THINKING ?
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By this point in the album you'll actually start thinking about skipping the album let alone the track. With nothing significant and quality about the music on this tune the first few moments have you thinking one of either two things, is this The Streets? Or, again, skip!

As for the words behind the shameful music on this tune Skinners used timing to bring a good sound to the way he's sang these lyrics pacing them out and bringing pauses into the right places so you do get a good flow coming from out this.

But I still find it hard to find exactly what he's pointing to his tune, the best explanation behind this tune and the words would be the one from Skinner himself.

10 ~ DRY YOUR EYES
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I'm worried if I'll now be taken to court for explaining the tunes sound to you because you should have heard through the media about the supposed copying of the tune from a previous band from over 30 years previous. It's not important as they've managed to get their cut on the singles sales whatever the outcome.

But yes many if not all of you have heard this at one point and the slow pulling on the strings of a guitar and echoing violins makes this not only a quality tune on the musical side of things but also in the way you'll have it ringing in your head for hours.

It's a great tune for anyone whose either lost a loved one or had trouble in a relationship. It points exactly how you feel and what exactly you do but cleverly leaves you feeling you positive. I would have expected the tune to be placed quite earlier on in the album in keeping with the story behind the album but then still it's a great tune and I'm just glad to have it on the album and most of all to be material from The Streets.

11 ~ EMPTY CANS
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I feel so seriously that I could write essays on this one track alone. I mean I'm a great one to bore people so I'll save you that now. You see they say you are never to give the ending of a film away and for Skinners story this
8-minute sure is the ending and such a quality one at that.

The tune, the lyrics, everything about this final destination on the album I find so hard to doubt and even harder to say I actually think it's the best one on the album. But unless you buy the album you'll never get to know why it is I rate this track so much. I just say, of all of The Streets tunes this is one of the very best and one I'll take to my grave. 'Empty Cans' indulges in pure talent, lyrically, musically and professionally.

To Buy :
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If you were an original pirate material buyer then there is no way that I'd come to your house not finding this in the stereo or on the rack at least. There's a lot less of the geezer talking and unheard of words and phrases and less of the drug talking, a negative for some but I still see that as a positive myself.

If you don't agree with none of the below then this album is worth buying but you may want to keep the receipt as dust may settle but for me I enjoy the album.

Not To Buy :
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If you dislike any mention of drug taking, the effects of drug taking, crime, true life and well, The Streets then buy it for a friend, this is NOT for you!

- FINAL THOUGHTS -

Not as good as the first but still a top end average album. Average at it's very highest. Was mainly disappointed with the musical side of the album as I like to blast my tunes loud and sometimes on the album I'm left with no choice other than to turn it down to minus the plus volume.

The lyrics are not as thought provoking as Skinner had them on the last album but still Skinner has some interesting lyrics on the album.
Again he's kept true to himself and portrayed many in life how it is, not portraying us in the way he thinks but like I say, in the way it actually us. I've brought the album and yes I still own it and yes I still play it so now make up your mind because there's nothing else that should have you speculating. Enjoy!

Buying The Album -

High Street Stores - £11.99 +

Online - Refer to Ciao prices.

Thanks for reading.

Gavin Fowkes.