Original Pirate Material - Streets (The) > Reviews > 'Original Pirate Material' by The Streets

Author's product rating:   

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

Advantages:	Original, raw, startling,  innovative
Disadvantages:	Technical musical content is 'thin'

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

A raw, startling and energetic album. The style is totally distinctive, fresh and provocative. There's a real sense of urgency and direction, an authenticity, an uncompromising lyrical approach. It's fast, fierce and funny. If Squeeze or The Jam had teamed up with Stephen Berkoff, this is how it might have sounded. Quite an achievement, given that this album appears to be essentially the work of one artist, Mike Skinner. The opening track Turn The Page is simply a masterpiece - by the time you've heard it, you'll be transfixed. Using 'war and past injury for metaphor and simile', everyday urban experience assumes an heroic context. The only weakness is the music. The rap and rhythm of the lyrics are so powerful, it seems pretty basic by comparison, a bit thin. Three minutes into Don't Mug Yourself, for example, the track just falls to pieces ("...are we still recording?"). Although to be fair, there's a sophisticated, jazzy feel to some tracks, like Has It Come To This? In a pop industry dominated by Pop Idol and Fame Academy, this is bold and groundbreaking. There are no punches pulled, and if it's grit you're after, here's a tonne of it. There's perhaps a touch too much of the 'geezer' about it all - a bit too much swagger - but overall, it's superb. By comparison, Eminem's street liturgies, full of 'guns, ho's and bitches' are frankly tedious. Given the right breaks, you have to suspect that this guy Skinner will go on to make something really awesome. Watch this space.

Here's the full anorak:
CD published by in 2002 by Pure Groove records

The Tracks ("and my favourite cracks")

1. Turn The Page 3.15
("I'm 45th generation Roman")
2. Has It Come To This? 4.04
("A few herbs and a bit of Benson")
3. Let's Push Things Forward 3.51
("This ain't your archetypal street sound")
4. Sharp Darts 1.33
("Do you understand or do you need an interpreter?")
5. Same Old Thing 3.22
("Pick a bottle off the table, peel the lable, tell a fable...")
6. Geezers Need Excitement 3.46
("It's never gonna be the Jackie Chan scene it could have been")
7. It's Too Late 4.10
("We first met through a shared view - she loved me and I loved her too")
8. Too Much Brandy 3.02
("I'm quite partial to another Marlon")
9. Don't Mug Yourself 2.39
10. Who Got The Funk? 1.50
("Oi - Lee Satchell, you bastard!")
11. The Irony Of It All 3.29
("Hello! My name's Terry!")
12. Weak Become Heroes 5.33
("The name's European Bob - sorted")
13. Who Dares Wins 0.34
("I spit simile after simile")
14. Stay Positive 6.16
("Stare at the geezers so they know you ain't lightweight")

Total time 47.29

And you can get the full lambretta should you wish to take this lot for a spin around the council block (do - it's worth it) at: www.the-streets.co.uk