Grand Don't Come For Free, A [PA] - Streets (The) > Reviews > A cracking rip roaring rapping story

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Groundbreaking
Lyrics	Sublime
Quality and consistency of tracks	A couple of weak links
Value for Money	Excellent

Advantages:	Wonderful story, appeals to more than just rap fans, original
Disadvantages:	1 weaker track, mockney

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

The Streets, no not where my little card board box of a home is placed, under the wet skies of Paisley, but the Brummie musician formerly known as Mike Skinner, and his garage music.
Keeping this review to a similar vein as my Katie Melua one (just with out the obvious "I want them" of seething sexual undertones).

Like Melua I'm not really much of a fan of similar artists (Garage music, just isn't my thing, neither is a mockney accent), going as far as to thinking the "T" in "Jamie T" stand for either "Tosser" or "Twat".

Who is The Streets?
The Streets is the alias used by 28 year old rapper Mike Skinner, Mr Skinner is what we Brits term "A brummie", or someone from Birmingham (England, not Alabama). Birmingham is a town in the mid-lands, and is known not only for it's football teams (most of which are crap :-P), but also it's accent which is often regarded as sounding a bit droll, and thick (sorry but this will come into effect later).

What sort of music does "The Streets" make?
What is termed "UK Garage" music, also rap and Hiphop. The Streets songs are basically mini stories that show amazing lyrical skill, and in a way make him the UK's Eminem (a white, middle classed rapper). The vocal style he uses, more than offsets the typical Brummie accent (see I wasn't just having a go...honest) and he often exercises a "Mockney" accent (a fake Cockney-East London accent). Which originally sounded fresh but has began to be copied and cliche'd.

What is A grand dont come for free?
AGDCFF(ever so slightly shorter) was The Streets second album, released in 2004 Through Vice Records (Which I believe is a subsidary of Atlantic Records). This album was released around 2 years after his debut album "Original Pirate Material" (Far easier title). And about 2 years before his latest album "The Hardest Way to Make an Easy Living" (they keep getting longer -_-).

What might we recognise from AGDCFF?
Despite the album reaching Number 1 in the UK only 4 singles were released:
"Fit But You Know It" (2004, #4 UK)
"Dry Your Eyes" (2004, #1 UK)
"Blinded by the Lights" (2004, #10 UK)
"Could Well Be In" (2004, #30 UK)

The first two were pretty much nationally accepted as brilliant songs, and highly acclaimed by both critics and the public. Blinded by the lights and Could well be in were pretty much released too late after the album (with everyone already owning it there was little point in buying the singles)

Anything else we should know?
AGDCFF is a concept album, telling the story of "Mike" (presumably "Mike Skinner") as referenced from "Fit but you know it" where the words "Mike just leave it out" are said. The story told through out the album will be told in the body of the review rather than this intro, but features a very wide ranging social commentary.

Is there anyone else in the line up?
The regular live act features:
Mike Skinner
Leo "The Lion" (backing voclas)
Eddie "The Kid" (keyboard)
Johnny Drum Machine (drums),
Morgan Nicholls (bass and guitar).

Any similar artists?
Jamie T-Similar vocal and lyric setting, just no where near as good.
Lilly Allen-Similar vocals
Craig David-Same R'n'B garage roots
Roots Manuva-Same rap roots and electronic feel
Audio Bullys-electronic dancey feel
Dizzee Rascal-Social commentary style

The opening track is "It was supposed to be so easy", the opening of the story, a guy taking a DVD back to the store and trying to make a cash withdrawl then get in contact with his mum to say he can't make tea. A bad luck story of a day for Mike, where everything in the day goes down hill, with an uptempo beat and and humurous lyrics. A catchy as hell hook and a brilliant set up to the later part of the story, where his money "A grand" has vanaished. Lyrically wonderful, vocally superb, with a "normal guy" style story to it. 9/10

To continue the story is "Could well be in", a softer tone, presumeably, after Mike has gone for a drink feel crappy about the day. He starts chatting with a girl and gets to know her. Again a song with a brilliant and wonderful hook, the story in the song is brilliant and again sets up the later parts of the album. The song balances the turn where friends get close, but with neither too sure of how it will go, with reference to the previous song around half way through (and gets it's self referenced through out the album). Brilliant from both a story based and musical point of view 9/10

"Not addicted" is track 3, where Mike is gambling, possibly through addiction (as the song's title seems to give away) or possibly to try and win back his grand. Another song with wonderfully creative story based lyrics and a catchy addictive (punny Scott) hook. Again it shows his lack of luck in the song however a twist shows not everything is going badly for him. A song which shows a good understanding of addiction to gambling, with some people just betting on things, despite having no idea. The ending lyrics are pure comedy as well "instead of betting to win the football...I'll bet to lose the cricket". 9/10

"Blinded by the lights", This song is heavily connected to the second song (he's been stood up by the girl "simone" and his mates...which again is a future story seeds). Mike smuggles drugs into a night club after getting closely searched and gets totally mashed by them whilst waiting. The background music is a very dance club sounding tune, which helps the song to maintain the image of it being in a night club. By the end of the song he's so out on a trip he gives up caring about what his mates and Simone are doing, despite thinking he's seeing them kissing, with lyrics that really do represent what it's like to be "mashed". 10/10

"Wouldn't have it any other way" shows Mike summing up the pro's and cons of being with Simone in a relationship, and tries to work out if he'd prefer to be there or in the pub with his mates. The lyrics seem to start of with a bit of resentment towards her, and it mentions he's TV's broken (yet another storyline seed). A song that shows the real mixed emotions of a person in a relationship, do you spend all the time with the girl, or do you want the freedom. He seems to be arguing with his own head, and being pretty unable to make up his mind. Good lyrics, but lower than the previous song and a chorus that I'm not a hug fan of. 8/10

"Get Out of My House", Is a continuation of the mess of of his head over Simone and centralises on an arguement between the pair of them (lyrics seem to be give the idea of Simone suffering morning sickness or a really heavy hangover is referenced heavily). Instead of being there for her he was getting his pills (medicinal) and she kicks him out and takes the keys off him. He has a go back at her, saying she doesn't care, and it appears to be one of those pointless arguements people have in relationships. Again referencing a broken TV, and again brilliant lyrics. The hook is catchy but not in the way of the opening songs, and the music is a decent tempo and sound, but not mind blowing. 8/10

"Fit but you know it" Takes an indie guitar riff intro, before the lyrics and the catchy as fuck backing sound, the chorus that sticks in your head all week and a story that amazes, even more so due to it's references in the earlier part (and later parts) of the album. A typical guy on holiday with his mates, wanting to forget about his missus and get with someone for holiday sex. Like most blokes the girl distracts him, he gets drunk and wants to get in a fight over her, whilst still being frank and saying that girls have a power over guys, that guys dont have back. Near the end of the song Mike remembers he has a girlfriend and treats his girlfriend as a kinda consolation prize. 11/10

"Such a twat", Nice title, with a very heavy and solid sounding beat to it, the song is about the morning after the night before in a call to a mate sounding apologetic. The song references the previous one "Simone was moaning and that about me playing away at this holiday". A good solid chorus and again brilliant lyrics, a well written solid story that again plants seeds that come up later. Also mentions his hatred of mobile phones (similar to the first song "fucking phones"). Mike seems to know he screwed up but wants to sweep it under the carpet from Simone. 9/10

"What is he thinking", A Much grittier and heavier sounding song of anger where a lot of the earlier seeds are sowed up, whilst believeing his money has been stolen by a mate, he realises Simone is cheating. It's intersperced with parts by the mate, who admits to knowing that Simone's cheating as Mike gets more and more paranoid about his mates. The mate convinces himself he has to tell Mike, the mate is the one mentioned in "Blided by the lights" as kissing Simone, as it starts to unravel that that was what they had been doing. A brilliant musical story. 11/10

"Dry your eyes", Is another of those songs with an irratatingly good hook. A soft opening played on a keyboard, and a sad lyrical story, as Mike's found out about Simone's infidelity and basically begs for another chance, and is willing to do anything. She doesn't want to be with him and in typical bitch fashion hardly even cares (as you can tell I'm probably still a bit bitter about my last decent relationship >_<). The overall song is basically a "better luck next time" story, with THAT hook and the song shows Mike's anger as she pushes him away and walks from him, as the song seems to indicate Mike in tears, but needing to give in. 11/10

"Empty cans" Helps to wrap up the remaining seeds, the TV and the money...who'd have ever thought that you'd have an ending of a concept album talking about a broken tv. Mike's there getting totally pissed whilst in anger at his mates, his ex, and everyone (including the TV repair company that he's called). The hook is brilliant, and forced you to either smile or laugh or sing along. The lyrics are brilliant, especially when he's in a fight with the TV repairman, and totally original....I won't spoil the endings, for you but they are brilliant. Despite the song having at least 2 seperate endings, and lasting well over 8 mins, with basically two different stories. Not quite sure how the two stories link together as they basically go different way's and end totally differently with the lyrics for both being sublime. 11/10

Summary- By it now, it's a rap story, rather than a rap album, and it's social story of a middle class white English male is wonderful and incredibly believeable. This is what concept albums are meant to be and shows the true potential of The Streets. Despite having a few lesser tracks, the overal material and structure of the album makes it a blessing to listen to.
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