Mike Skinner as the Streets manages to make records from the comfort of his own basement. It's pretty amazing to think how affective his music is when you consider how it is developed. He is in a category of his own. His mumbled rhymes are hardly mainstream rap but his lyrics are so simple and concern such universal themes that you can't help but listen. To back his words up with his gorgeous productions only adds to the man's, dare I say it, genius.
His first album, 'Original Pirate Material' is still probably his best. It captures his world weary sense of humour better than any of his later stuff, especially on the hilarious 'The Irony of it All'. Listening to it now what surprises most is the very, very pro-drug stance that he didn't ever approach again.
His second album was his breakthrough to the mainstream. A place he never really seemed comfortable. It's pretty clear that he was aiming for the pop charts though. 'Fit but you know it' and 'Dry Your Eyes' were destined to climb singles charts. But it's still a very rewarding listen. It is one of the few 'concept' albums that tells a story but doesn't forget to fill the record with good tracks.
The Streets took a major step back with their next release. 'The Hardest Way to Make an Easy Living' is a terribly angry piece of work. It's hard to feel any sympathy towards Skinner when he's angry about how tough life is as a celebrity. It's a rotten album. There's a sense that he's not really trying. The only diamond in this coal pit is 'Never Went to Church'.
After this turgid direction, it was a relief to hear 'Everything is Borrowed', the follow up. It proved that the last record was something Skinner needed to get out of his system but that his wit and sampling skills are certainly not run dry yet. It never reaches the heights of his first two records, but it's a fine album. It's underrated. It also reconfirms Skinner's talent as one that should continue.
