Reviews (page 4 of 8)
It was fine
Prog-rap? Høres ut som Fattern (oh ye ye) til tider. Interessant.
Some of these tunes are classics, but the low-tech DIY nature of the whole album left my attention petering out towards the end. Decent, but not great
2.5
Masterful storytelling propelled by British slang and homegrown beats. Don’t love it all but respect must be given.
This was fun but I’m not sure if it was for me. It was definitely saying something.
I thought I would like this more than I did. I love it when artists perform in their native accents and although this is no exception. I found the tracks very average. Perhaps if there was more flow, I would have rated it higher?
at first it was going to a be a real low review but honestly I kinda vibed with the story even though musically this was bad
Reviews The Streets - A Grand Don’t Come for Free This is an album that I’ve listened to a lot but never listened to properly until now. I hadn’t realised it was a concept album and that has literally blown my mind, it wasn’t until the last song ‘Empty Cans’ that I’d even noticed it was a concept album and then everything knit together in my mind and I love it when that happens! Concept albums are my fave. This one is about the protagonist trying to recover a grand to try and get his TV fixed, finding a relationship in the meantime and dealing with the ups, downs, and eventual dissolution of it. It’s very matter-of-fact and clear in the lyrics what the narrative is. Highlights of the album are ‘Could Well Be In’ - a song about analysing the behaviour of a woman to try and determine if she’s into him. Simple and a bit sweet. ‘Wouldn’t Have It Any Other Way’ - About wanting to stay in with your girlfriend instead of a night out with the lads. Both quite sweet songs, very unique for ‘love’ songs. There’s no need for big gestures or loud proclamations, just enjoying the reality of life as it goes by. I also think ‘Not Addicted’ is a really cool song. It’s quite an easy listen album, the music itself is quite fun. Some of the songs are a bit janky though. I was speaking to Jack about it and he wonders how much of that is intentional. It’s usually the songs that are about him being angry or upset that are a bit unrefined or have moments that are out of time, so you have to wonder if it’s meant to be a reflection of the protagonists mindset. Jack put forward an interesting point that the album is likely presented from a character point of view; a young guy who doesn’t really know what he’s doing with his life, with his DJ decks in his bedroom, writing songs about his girlfriend and his broken telly. Which makes me warm up to the jank a bit more. Definitely a couple of skip songs which are on the album for the narratives sake rather than for being good songs in their own right. 6/10
this is not bad, for its kind of music
I can't really complain about all the people who hate this. It's so quintessentially working-class British that the Americans on here must be fuming. But even within the UK, it's still quite an acquired taste, particularly as so much is quite monotone and delivered in such a specific way. I'm somewhere in the middle. The Streets were very much part of the cultural zeitgeist back in the day, but I was never really into the scene or particularly up on it. In fact we'd take the mick out of the delivery and content, being alternative kids and all that - "I'm going down to the chippy to grab some tea - I'm 'avin a can or two and knockin out some mad bantz with Gaz and the boys - and we're off our 'eads and we're giving it large'. Etc etc. But you know what, over time I came to appreciate them / Mike Skinner more. It's got a lot of personality, and personality goes a long way. And I'm absolutely bopping my head to Fit but You Know It - it's a genuine tune!
Quite funny at times; impossibly British. I could have sworn this was released in 2006; the singles got old very quickly.
An odd one, this. It’s not my type of music, and the production and Mike Skinner’s delivery is, to be blunt, a bit shit. But here’s the odd thing - it’s intended to be a bit shit, and it’s endearingly so. It probably helps being British and only a couple of years older than the protagonist of the rap opera so I find this sort of relatable, but I really didn’t hate it.
I know this won’t be popular with a lot of listeners, but as a Brit, the streets are great, telling a story over some music and it makes for a funny, bopping album. 7/10.
I must have gone through a period of really liking The Streets, as there are green ticks all over their first couple of albums. However, this hasn't aged too well, and there's a lot of dips between the bangers. It's still a strong 3 star album, but not quite enough for 4.
a british rap concept album, a story about a guy who mysteriously loses a thousand quid; the album detailing his story, struggle, and relationship. british rap music is an acquired taste for me. the concept is something else, but i can't get into this sound at all. the production of the beats, as well as the verses and raps... it all feels a little sloppy. there's potential here, but the entire album is kinda messy.
I'll always have mixed feelings about The Streets. On one side, they definitely made their mark in electronic music, especially UK garage, and they've made some classic songs. But on the other side, there are also a lot of songs where his conversational way of talking the lyrics just doesn't work and doesn't sound good with the music. I'm not a music theory expert, but sometimes it seems like he doesn't really know how to hit the right notes. So overall, The Streets is one of those groups you really have to be in the mood for, and if you're not, then their albums don't really have the same effect as they used to.
at first i was going to give it a 2 because it was a tough listen at times BUT on second thought the storyline was interesting and it was original. however i do think we can blame this guy for the birth of hobo johnson
A few fantastic songs and a few duds. Overall, a good album
I'm feeling between a 3 and a 4 and I'm tempted by 4 to give an up yours to the 1001 boomers. This is a cool portrait of how drab and grey it is to live in Britain and how little there is to actually get excited about. My real thoughts are probably 3, just because I think the debut is better.
If Frank Turner was a hip-hop artist....
Fun at times. Good gardening background music?
I had never heard of The Streets. This seems like an ambitious project, a rap opera or whatever. I commend the output as unique and interesting, and it's compelling enough.
Actually one of the more interesting albums from this list. The storytelling is definitely a bit slow paced at times but it accomplishes two tasks quite well - being goofy and funny, and getting you to have some compassion for the central character. When he finds out Simone is cheating on him with Dan (bastard), I genuinely got a little down for him.. 6/10
Unexpectedly enjoyed much of this as I followed the somewhat silly story. But it feels like the genuine expression of how an early 20 something would tell a story. I’ll never listen again but it was a bit of fun.
Was a bit chavvy, very stereotypical British culture, I enjoyed a few songs off it, Fit But You Know It is a really bad song though, every song had better quality than that, overall it was decent.
great
I never seem to know what to do with a spoken word album like this. I really enjoyed it this time, but have no desire to listen to it again. The story is a nice slice of life that you are better off having heard, but don't need a repeat.
A couple tracks in I was ready to give this a one star. By the end I was totally invested. Then I listened to it again immediately after. What is this sorcery? I do wonder if a "rap" album was the best choice for this story to be told. He's got a way with words for sure, but could that translate to a short film or novella?
I think this is the most actually, really British sounding hip hop album I've heard, I mean Michael is not hiding his accent and nor the kind of humor and sounds it brings. His flow is weird and awkward for it but genuinely it makes it a charming album because of it, as well as the tight beat production. I'm not wholly in love with it but I think if I check more UK hip hop stuff I think I would be into it more
When this came out, it was treated like a masterpiece. I treated it that way too. It is not a masterpiece at all, there are far too many tracks on it that are aimless, clunky and bring the record down. Three classic tunes on it though. Blinded By The Lights is an excellent dreamlike, hazy, club beat experience of being on a face melter in a club and slowly falling under the influence of the dodgy pills you’ve been shovelling into your neck. It’s greasy and cloudy and stumbling finishing up with our narrator exclaiming that “I’m mashed” and honestly, we’ve all get that way! Dry Your Eyes was the all conquering, ubiquitous mega single that came with it. A refreshing (at the time) honest appraisal of a relationship breakdown from the eyes of the man who doesn’t want it to end and the sadness, frustration and anger that comes with having your heartbroken. It was all conquering for a reason. Still sounds fresh today. Empty Cans, the album closer, is a tremendous double take of how decisions and attitudes shape you and your life. It’s brilliantly done with the repetition of lyrics in different scenarios and a beautiful, whimsy and hopeful message implanted at the end. Too much of this album is filler looking back at it, but it still holds a place for me.
Stan meets Macklemore, but he’s a British wanker. Shockingly entertaining. More so that all the Brits who champion some of the worst music tank this guy. Extra point round up just for that reaction.
I had not realized this was a concept album even though had played it on reasonably heavy rotation when it came out. Back in 2004 was living in London and perhaps it all felt more relevant and contemporary - roll forward 20 years and living in the country it all feels a little dated/ basic with the vocal delivery a little bit grating with its fake cockerny. Still really like Blinded by the Lights - but would not return to much else. A low 3.
Aside the catchy tunes, its other charm ends up being the sixth form poetry and his unapologetic, conversational style using his Brummy accent; and rapping about the everyday and the mundane. The references to British life are so hilariously at odds with gangsta and American rap (where everything is overblown and grand, or behind a massive cause, and the rappers ego is always the most important thing), talking about having a pint in the Wetherspoons or betting on a footie game. 'Empty Cans' is a masterclass in taking the achingly quotidian and making it into a three minute rap, down to the minutiae of the 'bit round the back of the TV' being broken, the power supply being broken, unscrewing 15 screws to remove the back panel. The complete inconsequential nature of the narrator's life and stories are what make it funny. I wouldn't seek most of this out again. The singles are the highlights, and the rest of it was an enjoyable listen due to the sheer audacity of presenting the mundanity of life. The biggest mystery is why 'Original Pirate Material' is not here instead, which is an album of wall to wall bangers.
Bij een rap-opera heb in inmiddels het beeld van Hamilton. We kunnen toch veilig stellen dat er muzikaal bij dit album minder sprake van opera is. En ook wel minder sprake van rap. Deze rapper lijkt in eerste instantie weinig zijn best te doen. Het is soms meer mompelen of praten dan rappen. Komen we verder in het album, dan ga je er aan wennen. Of heeft hij gewoon op een gegeven moment de juiste combinaties gevonden met de muziek? Af en toe pakt het mij wel. De rap-stijl doet me sterk denken aan Dan le Sac vs. Scroobius Pip. Zij gebruiken de stijl om meer te suggereren dat ze dichter zijn in plaats van rapper. Zoiets zal er nu ook wel aan ten grondslag liggen. Dichter gaat mij wel wat ver, maar Dan le Sac Vs Scroobius Pip laten mij hierdoor wel naar de teksten luisteren. Dat lukt The Streets niet. Terwijl ik inmiddels heb gelezen dat het album een totaalverhaal is (lijkt mij beter de lading dekken dan rap-opera), lukt het mij nauwelijks om echt naar de teksten te luisteren. Misschien zijn een vrouw en een zak geld gewoon niet interessant genoeg? Het album is niet slecht. De beats zijn soms erg fijn. Maar de presentatie is behoorlijk overschat. Een rap-opera met matige rap, geen operageluid en een niet opgepakt verhaal. Dan blijft er maar weinig over van het concept.
surprisingly enjoyable!
The whoopee cushion of rap music. If you find any of the hapless criminals in Guy Ritchie films endearing, you might like this album. It is just about an hour of listening to simple beats overlaid with some schmuck 'rapping' about his day-to-day life about money, and lady problems in a British accent. The term 'rap opera' is as ridiculous as this album is. But I think that's the point.
This music is actually pretty terrible but they’ve banked on the fact that I (along with many others, presumably) could listen to this guy’s accent all the live long day.
It grew on me but I couldn’t go 4 stars.
Good but long
Ven aquí por Fit But You Know It, quedate por las letras de todo el disco.
3 maybe 4
I can't say that this was good, but surprisingly pleasant as background noise, which is more than I like most rap music.
I don't really enjoy most of this but one thing I will say is Mike is good at getting you to comprehend and understand his lyrics while keeping them interesting. The singles sound like someone with a more musical ear came in to sort it out.
It is more like spoken word than music, but it was a pretty good slice of life, short story. At first I hated it , but while on a long walk it drew me in. I see it as a one off, I never have to hear anthing like it again,
Surprising. I don't normally like rap, but this was different, Maybe because there wasn't so much slang it sounds like a different language. Plus the English accent didn't hurt. "Dry your eyes" had me in tears.
Weird mixing; good choruses; great story; voice is ok, don’t like the pronunciation of some words. Heartfelt storytelling and great ending; this album is def gonna grow on me. I’ll give it a 3.5/5
A lot of it was bad, some was ok, and blinded by the lights was really good. Rounds out to a 3 star
6.5/10
Ret sjovt at høre, produktionen er ret dated (i modsætning til hans debut!), men sys det er virkelig fedt hvor dedikeret han er til temaet!
Some bangers here, but also some not quite interesting songs.. 3+
Hmm very pretty and poetic. I like his accent.
Not really sure how I feel about this one. I kind of found the story (unintentionally?) funny, and I enjoyed parts of some of the songs. I may listen again, but I also don't really like the album. But it's interesting, at least.
Anxiety in songs
This was very interesting. I might have to listen to it again but I think I got hooked on the Eminem 8 Mile vibe it was putting out. You might say I even lost myself in it.
This is a really interesting listen. I had no idea what the vocals were going to sound like when the instruments started on track 1. For some reason a rapper with a British accent sounds inherently cool to me. It's a sound that when it pops up I tend to focus and listen a bit closer than normal. Maybe it's the blend of cultural differences mixed with it being a familiar sound that draws me in? I'm familiar with rap music, which more often than not contains lyrics of everyday life and everyday strife (oh shit I'm spittin now). With rap that comes from the UK, there's little changes in the vernacular that are so similar and yet just enough different. It's very cool. "Blinded by the Lights" is super cool. Laid back beat with a an incredible sidechained or dotted 8th note 90's synth patch. Really impressive track here. I really enjoyed this. The diversity in the instruments/beats was a standout, and I think it's a 3.4 or 3.5/5.
The storyline is a great concept and executed well but it reminds me of Arthur Miller. Flawed tragic hero but so flawed that I lack any sympathy, empathy, or good will towards them meaning I don't buy into this in the way I might have.
How very British that one of the opening lines has a rhyme that includes "tea." This was okay. I wouldn't listen to it again and the strong British accent gets tiring after awhile (sorry, Brits) but it wasn't too bad.
3.5
-well at first I thought this absolutely sucked, but it really started to grow on me a few songs in. Idk how self-aware it is exactly but it was really funny and unique. This is definitely the closest I’ll ever come to enjoying UK drill rap, even if that isn’t what this is supposed to be -Favorites are Blinded By The Lights, Get Out of My House, Fit But You Know It, and What Is He Thinking?
I had never heard this before and since rap is not my favourite genre, wasn't expecting much. It's interesting, because before I started on this list I hadn't listened to any rap/hip hop from the UK at all. I find the accent interesting and gives off a much different feeling and effect than American, so called-Gangsta rap. Much more narrative that doesn't feel as threatening and angry, and though concept albums can be a challenging listen, this was okay. I played it right to the end which feels like an accomplishment, so that's saying something. I will admit, I like the album cover art.
I was looking forward to this one, but sadly it wasnt great! Dry Your Eyes and Fit But You Know It were both huge songs in my school years. However the rest of the album was nowhere near as good! Pretty bad on the whole but I am giving it an extra star for being funny, and also nostalgia! 3 ⭐️
Entertaining album of life, with a nice British twist. Good beats, fun story. 3.3
Kinda corny, but decent story, relatable for the times. I think there’s a better streets album before this one though.
I typically hate British rappers. I didn’t hate this one but I still didn’t find anything extraordinary about it
Nah. I was surprised this guy made the list - "What? The Fit but You Know It guy?" That song is a guilty pleasure. Kind of humorous but the guy can't rap. It's like listening to Taran Egerton as Eggsy from The Kingsman trying to turn his chatter into a rap. I give him kudos for the whole rap opera motif and trying to tell a connected story. And there are some interesting or clever stories or bits to the songs. But it's such a slog listening to that Birmingham accent try to rap, or worse, sing (on Get Out of My House). Blinded by the Lights wasn't bad and I always more guiltily got pleasure from Dry Your Eyes. I'll give it a 3 but I get it if others want to give it a lower rating.
I honestly don’t know about this one. Was hard to listen to the first time through but did grow on me. I think this will take a bit of listening to make a rating I’m comfortable. Three for now as it is in the middle.
Interesting rap, but not something I’d ciome back to.
Another "Hey, the stuff that Spotify recommended afterwards was considerably cooler" album. A "rap opera" is an interesting concept -- one that probably would have been more interesting with a stronger MC. It's fine BritHop. And he's a pretty good storyteller, but the flow just didn't work for me. Aside from "Fit and You Know It," I'm not sure why I needed to hear this before I died -- except that it introduced me to Ghost Poet, who seems to majorly slap.
Fit and you know it is a classic - I think from FIFA? Otherwise, it was fine. Won't listen again. Spoiler: at least he found is thousand quid.
Interesting concept album. I like the music of some of this but it feels like a fancy spoken word album, thought he would rap more. It's interesting but Original Pirate Material is a better album imo.
3.75
Why this and not Original Pirate Material?! I think the whole hip hopera set-up, instead of giving it a structure and poetic restrictions, instead less it to be a bit dull: Ra Ra, I did lots of drugs and was a scally. This girl I love does or doesn't love me back. Ho hum.
I kept wondering when it was going to start during the first song. “Surely this is some sort of sloppy introduction.” Nope, that’s what this album sounds like. Why is that what this album sounds like? Second track was better, but still janky fucking flow. The rest follow that formula of a chorus that sounds like it’s out of a real song, but the verses are janky as fuck. There are a couple good ones in there. I really enjoyed “Fit But You Know It” and “Dry Your Eyes”. All in all, eh. 3/5
Grew on me, not bad.
At first I was like nooo, but then the banta o whateva grew on me m8
not bad
Let me just start by saying this: I haven't had ths bad of a first experience with an album since I heard Public Image LTD.'s METAL BOX . The first three tracks on this album... I had to wonder, honestly, if this guy was takin' the piss. I just couldn't comprehend that someone could have this kind of anti-flow on purpose. Like, does he know he's supposed to... At least **acknowledge** that the beat exists? That he doesn't have to stress each syllable exactly the same? That, hell, the beat should also be on beat? And I came into this knowing that British rap usually isn't very good in general, so you can only imagine my shock hearing this. I can breathe a sigh of relief, though, that it **does** actually get better from there. I can't say I ever 100% gelled with this guy's rapping style, but as the album went on I was more and more able to be fine with it. To the point where, heck, I'll say I actually liked the last two tracks, the closer especially. It does a neat thing halfway through, I feel like. Neat enough, anyway, given what this album started with. As for this thing's plot... Well, you'd probably do best to not think of it as a rap **opera**. It's more, as one of my group friends put it, a rap "TV show." I don't totally think thst saves this album's story from being a fair bit of nothing, but under that "TV show" mindset I can't be too bothered by it. So color me surprised that this thing actually managed to raise itself from a "What the hell is this shit?" 2 to a "It's fine, in the positive sense" 3. I don't really think it's something I **needed** to hear before I die—and I wouldn't call him "idiot savant Brian Wilson" like one review I saw did—but I can't really say I wasted my time pushing through it. Seriously, though, mate. Those first three tracks. It should be so easy to not sound like that, honestly.
British rap is certainly interesting, but this just ain't it for me. 2.5 rounded to 3.
By some genuine miracle, I’m at a 3. This album makes one of the worst first impressions imaginable compared to expectations; when you read something like “rap opera,” the brain makes comparisons to shit like Tommy by The Who, in terms of “opera” in traditional music, or Hamilton in terms of “rap” to tell a story. This album is quite literally neither of those, and to call it a “rap opera” is a genuinely misleading description that might taint the album if you just don’t stick to it. This is not a rap opera; it’s a rap TV drama. To make the U.K. reference, this is basically just an 11-episode arc of Eastenders or Coronation Street, or some other goofy hokey drama, with a bit of a sitcom lean. To call this album an opera is like calling High School Musical a Broadway production; it just sets the wrong expectations. Once this album truly settles in, it’s… totally fine, honestly. Completely inoffensive beats, if a bit boring at times (but perfectly fitting on others), decent storytelling (but not anything TOO evocative, save for the genuinely fantastic “Dry Your Eyes”), and ultimately, a fine story that just feels a bit relatable in the end. It’s not THAT great; critics giving this like, a 90 on Metacritic or calling it a top 50 album of the 2000s are severely overrating it. However, I genuinely think it’s good. It takes a terrible first impression, and eventually finds its voice – yes, the flow could be better, the melodic qualities could use a bit of work, and the delivery feels a little bland without really getting too deep into the emotions trying to be portrayed… but I just kinda ended up liking it. It’s definitely not a 4, and it’s nowhere near a 5, but I can’t agree with the people that are giving this a 1 or 2. Lower the expectations before you go into it, because you’re not gonna get something like Tommy, which genuinely became a movie. You’re gonna get a 11-episode arc of a TV show where a weed-smoking guy loses his money behind a TV, meets his girlfriend, gets cheated on by one of his friends, and then learns to live with it. A completely average plot for a good album that simply does a good job of executing its vision. In other words, a resounding 3, but one I’d actually recommend.
The flow and production took a bit of time to get used to, but the storytelling on this album is undoubtably solid. Nifty album
Part of me feels like this album is terrible, but on the other hand it's low key pretty hilarious. The Streets is a British hip-hop artist, more of an alt hip-hop guy than a more traditional rapper. He recorded this in his flat in Stockwell, so that's a fun piece of trivia for me. The album is a concept album about a guy who loses 1,000 GBP, starts dating some "fit" woman, tries to gamble on football, smokes a lot of weed, gets kicked out by his girlfriend, cries a lot, and maybe finds the money at the end (but does he?). The whole thing is so aggressively British. He has a heavy accent, and he's just constantly dropping British slang throughout. I'm very much not convinced that he's actually talented, his voice ranges from "fine" to "quite bad", and half of the time it sounds like he's more talking than singing or rapping. And yet despite all this, something about it kind of works. I kept finding myself laughing at the lyrics, and some of the beats are pretty good honestly. It's far from my favorite thing, but the entertainment value is pretty high, and I can't give it a negative review in good conscience because of that. Apparently "Fit but You Know It" was pretty big in the UK and it makes sense, it's more alt-rock-y than hip-hop really (and the mildly sexist lyrics probably played better in 2004 than they would today). Favorite song: Dry Your Eyes Other: Could Well Be In, Blinded by the Lights, Wouldn’t Have It Any Other Way, Fit but You Know It 7/20/24
A Grand Don't Come for Free is the second studio album by The Streets, originally released in 2004. Right off the bat, I reallyyyyy wanted to give this an immediate 1. But I had to trust the process. Sure, this thing is insanely British. And I mean, INSANELY BRITISH. I really can't relate to some of it as an American, and I recognize that. The longer I listened to this, the more intrigued I was. This thing is pretty devoid of any set flow. That really fascinates me. The beats are sparsely produced as well, leaving a lot of empty space in the instrumentals. It was off-putting at first, but once I started to really concentrate on the subject matter I started to dig it more. By the mid-2000s party-rap was emerging, and looking to kick gangsta-rap off its throne. I can't relate to either of those styles of rap. Sure, they can be fun to listen to, but I often lack that extra emotional depth. This album has several songs I connected to, especially the love songs. A standout track was "Dry Your Eyes". It's a surprisingly emotionally-deep breakup song. Overall a very interesting listen.
For a brief moment in time The Streets were very popular in the UK. A kind of musical punk-poetry that reflected it's era in a way that Ian Dury did (much better in my humble opinion) a couple of decades earlier). It never had any longevity, but was interesting at the time. Worthy of listening to.
Absolutey hated the opening track, but settled in a bit after that. Realized I had head a few songs off this while listening. Like the concept, like a few of the cuts, but doesn't quite fully elevate to classic status to me. 3/5
3,5
I really don't like his style. Too slow for hip-hop and each song is samey. I did enjoy some of the little loops in the songs but other than that, nothing in the musicality that I enjoy
I don’t like this nearly as much as Original Pirate Material, and I think somehow The Streets’ production has gone down in quality since that first album. But the story told throughout the album is well framed and well presented, hitting emotional highs and lows (mostly lows) that definitely resonate. I’m generally not a fan of Mike Skinner’s style of delivery, mainly because other British hip hop artists like Kae Tempest, Dizzee Rascal, and others manage the distinctly UK-style spoken word-esque rapping much more successfully. I do appreciate how the story on the album revolves around a missing 1,000 quid and broken TV which the narrator paranoidly blames on his flatmates, friends, even his new girlfriend (who wasn’t in the picture when the grand was lost and the TV broken), and the “happy” ending is that the grand was in a shoebox that fell behind the TV, which broke the TV. “Dry Your Eyes” would actually be a very good pop or R&B song if performed in a different style.
what the fuck lmao 5 stars
Quality, unique, great vibes
Favourite song - Blinded by the lights
I was only familiar with this guy in passing and white British guy rap isn’t exactly my forte BUT I wanted to give this a shot. First impression isn’t terribly bad, I like the flow. I know next to nothing about grime and drill but im enjoying the story. I guess this is a rap opera but it sounds like a concept album? Is there a difference? Idk. It’s chill! The only thing that I’m not super into is you gotta pay attention to follow along. The music is cool and I like the different characters but I would recommend not listening at work or if you have to focus on something else. It’s funny, and the story is interesting so points for that at least. I appreciate British humor as well so if you’re looking for something with a storyline and some funny parts this is a good one.
Interesting, good to listen to but unlikely to return to it.
Very interesting sound, which at first I didn't like, but which grew on me as I listened. The singer's vocal stylings are very unpolished, but it comes off as charming -- kind of like an English Eminem, but with less focus of technical rapping prowess and more on gritty, endearing, self-deprecation and emotion. Overall a good listen, but I will probably not listen again. Three stars.
I don't particularly like hip-hop. I definitely didn't think I needed to hear British hip-hop, but I'll be honest, this one had me hooked for a minute. Strong 3.
This sounded different from the streets that I’ve heard before. More poppy. I followed the story a little bit but it’s kind of dumb and it’s hard to take him seriously with that voice. This is a good sound if you’re in the mood for it though.
The lyrics are a lot more interesting than the music. Suited to mindless work where you can pay attention to what they're singing. Even if it leaves you scratching your head, saying "what did I just hear?" But it's confirmed... I don't like songs that glorify drug use, no matter the genre.
Weird lo-fi brit rap sounds like a fifth grade project but grows on you after awhile
13-15 year old me would have ate this shit up. But now, I recognize how whack the flow is. Still, there were one or two songs on this album I could see myself returning to (Fit but you Know It and Dry Your Eyes).
Never listened to this whole album, but FIFA introduced me to Fit but You Know it when I was a kid, and I absolutely loved it. Interesting that this is billed as a "rap opera" on Wikipedia. The only other such I can think of is Deltron 3030 (which is fantastic). Distinctly white, British guy rap out of the gate, complete with awkward cadence and heavy accent. Instrumentals are varied, but fairly minimal with electronic / grime leanings. Once you get past the crass delivery, the songs themselves are quite interesting and the narrative start to finish is cohesive and, in a sense, relatable. This is anything but braggadocios as the protagonist goes on a wild ride trying to get his grand back. Could Well Be In is surprisingly tender with solid sung sections. Blinded by the Lights is a standout. Electronic backing beat is minimal, but effective at creating a drugged out vibe that complement the lyrical tale of taking ecstasy in the club. Listened to this twice, and I like it more than I don't. Sits somewhere around a high 3 low 4 for me. Hedging on the lower side because I don't see myself going back through this over and over.
This album was definitely something different. Felt like we were hearing the life story of this random British with his daily experiences involving hanging out being a piece of shit and doing a lot of drugs. I liked the beats and the album seems well produced. Not something I want to listen regularly but it was an interesting listen. 3.5 stars for me
Listened to this while playing Pax Pamir. I lost. I was a bit of a fan of The Streets in the early 2000s. I had kind of completely forgotten about Mike Skinner til this popped up on the list. I probably would have given this a 4 back in the day...but now it gets a 3. There are definitely some great-ish moments...but his delivery can wear thin after a while. It makes me hope his debut album is on this list...I haven't listened to that in ages!
It's interesting. I'm not into audio books. And that's what this feels like: short stories, read by the author, set to robot music. I really dislike robot music. So it's not for me. But it is interesting.
Fiilaan the streetsiä kyllä, vaikkei tää mikään iso suosikki ole. Hauska ja varsin symppis. 3,5/5
Okei, ilmeisesti tässä on joku laajempi stoori mutta se meni ohi. Ihan kiinnostava rap-levy, toisinaan lipsahtaa spoken wordin puolelle. ei kuitenkaan nyt ensikuulemalta nouse neloseen asti, mutta solid 3.
I’m a bit ambivalent about this one. It’s a great, and at times wrenching, story. Unfortunately, the delivery is pretty flat and gets tiresome quickly. I think if you approach it more as a spoken-word rather than a rap album it works better.
A spoken word / hiphop album that tells a story of lost money, relationships, cheating, drug use, clubbing and gives a very 'common-UK-man' of the early 2000's vibe. Back when this came out, Fit But You Know It and Dry Your Eyes were everywhere, but I was more enamored with the better storytelling of the one-pill-too-many-night of Blinded By The Lights. This album was a refreshingly original new direction for UK hiphop, but the execution was somewhat lacking. The production of the songs is all over the place and while the talking/rapping gets annoying at times, you do really want to keep on listening what he has to tell. I haven't heard this album in a while and it doesn't fully hold up with how strong I thought it was. 3,5*
p901. 2004. 3 stars. Starts off sounding like the council estate offspring of Jilted John, and the drum machine gets tedious reallll soon. And yet... somehow it turns it round with the last couple of tracks. "Dry Your Eyes" is a thing of beauty.
After hearing the first 20 seconds of the first song, I really didn't think that I would like this album at all. But after about 3 minutes I was laughing and enjoying myself. It's likely not something that I would listen to again, but I really enjoyed my time with The Streets.
I thought I was going to hate this more than I did. The accents were sometimes hard to listen to, but there were a couple songs I kinda liked.
Very fun and cute album. Felt like clapping and cheering and tossing my hat in the air at the halfway point of Empty Cans.
Better than i thought, another album that makes me want to live in London, besides the other obvious banger i dig all the ballads, what a cool album. Even if its cringey white dude rapping.
Like a love letter from Withnail to Keely if she acted more like Amy Winehouse. I’m not a typical fan of Brit Rap and this is no Stormzy, but there’s an endearing sweetness to it all. Like a youthful spoken word love letter to your own drug addled and girl obsessed brain. A bad addiction that you can’t or won’t quit. It took a while for me to get over the seeming hilarious syntax and rhyme scheme but keep an open mind and it might surprise you. Plus is early aughts which is a time without incessant communication and it’s reflected in a lot of the messaging. Especially noteworthy the night at the club. 3.5/5
Really unique style, didn't like it at first but I can see why it's popular. Respect to the dude
Endnu et hip-hop album med gode sange, men hvor det bliver for ensformigt til et helt album
After the first couple of tracks I really though I was probably not going to enjoy what seemed like a very amateurish hip hop record, but by the end he managed to actually make me feel like his character, Mike, in this Rap Opera, actually learned something among all the acts of pillock and spliffs. It just goes to show that sometimes a listener really does need to give the whole album a chance, because sometimes, just sometimes, there really is a alchemical thing that makes the sum of an album, better than its parts.
Yeh, thats a’right.
This was decent. The through-narrative of the album was neat, and sometimes tracks really came together for me, but some of them also just did not click at all, partly due to the vocal style.
C+
Now, I get this album. It’s a lil episode in Mike Skinner’s existence. Where he loses a grand, bums on a bird name Simone’s couch cause she’s got a better tv that he can watch the game on whilst he punts and fiddles the fruit machines trying to win back his 1000. Mix this with the drugs and the paranoia and the inevitable heart break when he’s finally booted from Simone’s couch cause she’s shacking up with a new bloke, only to end it all in jubilation when he finds the grand with his buddy Scott. I get all of this and if you can get on board with Mike’s specific delivery? It’s a decent follow up concept record. But does it need to appear on a must listen list? I wouldn’t know how it ended up on one. Someone has to explain that part to me.
Not my jam at all. Can't tell if they want to sing or speak.
Fun album, spoken word style. Repetitive beats bring the storytelling to the front. Prefer original pirate material but still a good album that's unique. 7
Hab nur die ersten Stücke angehört. Das erste hat einen lustigen Text.
Very funny
I liked it when he fought the TV man. Reminds me of my youth it's kinda rubbish but fun. Different at least
not terrible
Þetta er svona tónlist sem ég er vanalega ekki mikið fyrir en þetta var samt lúmskt skemmtilegt. Ég var reyndar kominn með smá leiða um miðbikið á plötunni en svo duttu inn nokkrir slagarar sem toguðu mig aftur inn
Unique, British, slow narrative raps witht interesting beats.
Some fun stuff, but I've listened to this in the past and thought I liked it better than I did on this listen. Which I suppose indicates that it's not aging well. Much of the singing on the album is hard to listen to, whether it's him or someone else. His lyrics are clever and funny, sometimes vulnerable, which I appreciate. In the end though, there were only a couple songs that didn't make me flinch in one way or another.
Rap Opera... Hmm. Well there are interesting things going on in term of cadence and... British-ness. It feels like music definitely not relatable for me. I feel like I need to be a 15-25 year old British lad. It's fine but not the style of hip-hop I'd care to listen to.
Decent, Production is a bit rough / dated.
Honestly, I was expecting worse. This is definitely not my thing, but it was quirky enough that it made it kind of bearable (enjoyable?).
I was surprised to see this on the list. I would be absolutely the right demographic for this album being English and of the correct age, but the first album by Mike Skinner is so far above this in terms of quality and importance that its much better inclusion. What Mike Skinner does well is he writes really good music of his time and his lyrics accurately describe my life. His singing/wrapping isn't for everyone and if you compare it to US rappers then it's not going to impress anyone. This album has a scattering of good tracks but he very quickly found the edges of his talent. If you enjoyed this or wanted to hear a better version, go find 'origional pirate material'
I remember when this came out. There was this sort of fever for indie British stuff around here so of course we would listen to this. The sound is not bad and there are some good tunes but it is a bit clownish and it carries this vibe of “you had to be there” that clearly walls up the album to the general listener
It's an innovative idea for sure that works in a storytelling perspective, but it's not something most people can get into without feeling emotionally invested into the story, which unfortunately is not so relatable in 2023 times where these activities are replaced by normalized excessive smart phone and computer usage. The beats and samples are clean and fit the mood, a bit too simple for me. On the plus side, it brings more attention to the lyrics, but has little value in itself. The way he raps stands out to bring out word emphasis and meter. It allows him greater freedom to express the story in natural conversation, but the forceful ways he brings out elements of his language are artificial. The vocal style is reminiscent of Phil Daniels in Blur's "Parklife", but I didn't need a whole album of it. His vocal style is also reminiscent of the contemporary grime movement, which I feel much better blends this rapping style with UK garage and jungle. His choruses are catchy and add pop appeal, but I feel they're primarily used to keep people from drifting off. 3rd star is given for innovation, clean production, and coherent storytelling. Favorites: Get Out of My House, Fit But You Know It, Dry Your Eyes
Interesting stuff, not a huge grime fan but the roots are there. 3 stars.
Rap-ooppera? En nyt ihan vakuuttunut. Verbaalisesti ihan lahjakasta, mutta osittain vähän enemmän ”speaken words” kuin varsinaista rappia. Lisäsin yhden biisin lenkkilistalle, mutten kyllä kuuntelisi koko levyä uudelleen lenkillä. Tästä tulee mieleen se jokin random rap-musikaali, joka tuli syksyllä televisioista. Hyvin erikoista, mutta ei totaalisen huonoa.
Gear: Nectar Sound Bee Mische: nix Besonderes Mucke: was Besonderes Wertung: 3/5
December 10, 2023 HL: "Could Well Be In", “Blinded By the Lights”, “Dry Your Eyes”, “Empty Cans” I’ll need time to stew on this one. Having only heard “Dry Your Eyes”, the grime-y parts came as a bit of a surprise. The production and performances are sometimes inspired (the overlapping argument in “Get Out of My House”) sometimes irritating (the hook in “It Was Supposed to Be So Easy”). My first instinct is that Mike Skinner isn’t a good enough actor to portray the emotional hills & valleys, but then I remember this is a hiphop album, not a radio play. The fact that I’m interested at all in the story is more than I can say for a lot of concept albums.
норм; как оперу не расслушала
Some good songs and a bunch of rubbish ones
Hoping this had Edge of a Cliff on it but was disappointed. I love the spoken word story telling aspect but it's not his strongest
3.5
meh
Beyond original pirate material, the streets aren't that notable.
A very interesting style of his own. I enjoy the narrative and the ride, but not an album I'm drawn to relisten to.
3.5/5. A concept album about an unlucky deadbeat who doesn’t always make good choices.
I was understanding and liking this one much more by the end. Might be worth a relisten and jump a star later.
On their own, some of these tracks are laughable but it's a good idea of example of the whole being greater than the sum of its part. A lesson in arrangement.
At times I found the delivery too disconnected from music. But I do like the concept. Lyrically it's really strong
surprisingly interesting but probably don't need to hear it again
Didn't think it was as bad as some of the other reviews make out on here. Probably would have been received better as a rock opera than a hip-hop concept album, but I enjoyed it. Definitely nails that working-class British culture of the mid-oughts, even if the previous album was more deserving of a place on the list (in my opinion).
Today's album is by The Streets, who is a British rapper. The music wasn't bad, but his lyrics were very simplistic. If you listened to someone in Grade 5 rap, that'd be the same level as this guy. Not to say that it's bad, it's just the kind of rap that someone who is just discovering rap would like, or its like... Bible camp Rap.... Super clean. At least there isn't N bombs dropped every 10 Seconds though, so that's a positive. The whole record is a concept album. It starts with some lad misplacing $1000.... He then meets a chick, they date, they break up, he gets fucked up on pills, later on the album ends with him finding his money behind the tv. A really weird concept, but not bad. This guy is cockney as hell too, which makes him hard to understand by times. Overall, not a bad album, just not the hard, fast Gangsta rap that I'm used to on this side of the pond. This stuff, as I said, is cleaner and softer. I'd listen again, but nothing really jumped out at me upon first listen. Favourite songs: Fit But You Know It, Not Addicted Least favourite songs: It Was Supposed to Be So Easy 3/5
Now this one was good. Chill and beautiful I saved multiple songs and the album as a whole. That's says alot. I'll be happy to hear these songs popping up on shuffle. I've always heard I should try these guys but never got around to it. Glad this made me. Worth it all around. I love her voice. 4*
Trots att jag inte gillar den här typen av musik så var det ingen katastrof.
It's a bit cringey but bless I remember these guys. Urban British white rap dealing with their 'real' council house issues. It's interesting to listen back to, funny at times and I'm glad it was made but I wouldn't put it in my top 1001.
Cool beats but ... I don't know.
I really like this in small doses. The beats are great, the rapping is unique. But after a little while it starts getting tedious for me.
The story is interesting. The rapping is jilted but functional. But the music is way too repetitive. The beats were fine. They just didn't switch anything up enough. That's the only thing here I'm marking off for. This is good otherwise. Not great. But good. Otherwise.
3.5
3.5
2 good songs
And on today's episode on brilliant or awful...
Interesting concept album, not a big fan of the rhyming or backing tracks. Push Things Forward remains to be the only track I’ve enjoyed from the artist.
This music on this album is clearly inspired by British electronic music, but the lyrics and delivery are more akin to. Spoke word style than a straight rap style. The lyrics themselves are effective if not occasionally forced. I found this album to be interesting to listen to even if there were bits I didn’t think worked as well.
Ain't bad mate innit
This album was too long-winded, sometimes bad, sometimes very nice. I loved the atmospheric and introspective vibe and enjoy this listen.
A classic entry from The Streets, and genre setting music style. It drags a bit, though.
Not really bad. It is listenable, but I did not like it.
So relieved he found the money in the end
I don't think it's great musically, except for Dry Your Eyes, but it's a great statement and social commentary on he early 2000s. Very nostalgic
Lite jämntjockt, men ett extra plus för att ge sig på att göra ett temaalbum och berätta historier. Låter en aning brittiskt.
Further exploration of chavs
Oh the memories. The style is still a bit jolting but once you get your head round it I liked the journey it took me on.
C'est rien c'est les rues
sont ils de grande bretagne ? difficile a dire
Það tók ca 30 sekúndur að húkka mig. Alveg fín plata!
Hip hop. No está mal del todo.
I was quite dismissive of this at first. The combination of the Cockney accent and sparse production didn't do it for me. I decided to give it another chance since the Rap opera genre is unrepresented in 1001, haha. At least he's ambitious.
A Grand Don't Come for Free is the second album by English rapper and producer Mike Skinner, under the rap music project the Streets. This is a rap opera concept album that tells the story of a man losing his £1,000 (the grand), as well as his relationship troubles with a girl named Simone. Every song paints part of the story and the final track has two alternate endings depicted. This rap opera concept actually made the album a little more fun to listen to and kept me engaged the entire time. The album is critically acclaimed and has been certified 4x platinum in the UK. It's also considered the first hip-hop classic of the new millennium. The concept album part might not be everyone's cup of tea, but it's not totally overbearing where you can't just enjoy the album for its music. You'll either love or hate the concept, but the UK rap will grow on you - even if it takes some getting used to. If you're not used to UK rap, then this album might sound a little weird to you at first. I ended up actually enjoying this album and there's a few songs I would listen to again - without needing to replay the whole album for the rap opera story. Good beats, great rhymes, and an awesome concept characterize this album.
A unique album. Did make me realise my tastes have changed since Uni a little bit though
Tykkäsin kyllä. Ei mitään tajunnan räjäyttävää, mutta symppis ja hauskoja juttuja.
We used to listen to The Streets in college and I definitely dig The Streets, but if this Rap Opera is considered influential, then Prince Paul's A Prince Among Thieves better be on this list, since Paul did it first...and better.
Cooler than I thought
Nah
An absolute crime that Original Pirate Material isn’t on this list. A Grand Don’t Cone for Free might have an overarching concept, but I’d argue the songs don’t hold together so well; I like most of them off their own merits, but altogether a full listen can be taxing.
Bri’ish innit
When this album started, I thought it was going to be painful. It was difficult to get through the accent, combined with rap and I thought oh shit..... Listened at work and thought, not for me. Then later in the day, I found myself humming one of the later songs and thought, not that bad. Then I was telling Mindy about, Fit, but you know it. Decided to take a few hits off the peace pipe, fired up Mario Kart and gave a good listen. Well shit, I think I like a lot of this. Favorite was Fit, but really liked Wouldn't have it any other way. The backup singer was awesome, really made the song. Also enjoyed Get out of my House, What is he thinking, Dry your eyes, It was suppose to be so easy and Such a Twat. Probably not for everyone and may take a few listens to adapt to the accent, but I thought this was a good album. Not Lou Reed good, but I'm sure I'll put this on again, at least several of the songs I have mentioned. First thoughts were 1, then went to 2.5. Hell, I'm giving it solid 3. Maybe the weed, maybe I took the time to soak it all in, who knows, but I liked it.
an entertaining album. At this point, I learned that I actually like rap music more than I thought. I enjoyed listening to this. The accent makes it better too. 3.2/5 stars
It's an odd fish this album - many reasons I shouldn't like it, but I do.
Its funny with the streets because it's a bit shit but it's kind of meant to be! Luke says they all really liked it as teens as it was different and silly but we agree we're not sure it has aged well..of a time! It has my respect. Certainly very catchy
It’s pleasant enough - for this kind of music it tells decent stories
Nuoren brittimiehen tutut koettelemukset, kerrottuna tavalla, jonka vahvuus on kekseliäisyyden sijaan kattavuudessa. Levyn tarinoita ei voi olla kuuntelematta, enkä voi olla pitämättä niistä.
No lo escuché bien
C’est fait avec beaucoup de légerté, et pas du tout à la fois. C’est très British comme album malgré qu’on parle plus ou mons de hip-hop. J’ai aimé le fait qu’il y ait une histoire du début à la fin de l’album.
Intéressant. Très champ gauche. Pas tout à fait ce à quoi je m'attendais, mais je savais que ce serait différent. On est un peu dans la veine de Buck 65 et parfois en territoire de Sufjan Stevens dans l'exploration. J'ai bien aimé.
Cool idea, didn’t finish
Buen álbum de rap británico con un interesante concepto e historia. En los comentarios se nota que muchos prefieren la historia contada a lo musical en este disco, pero, desde mi punto de vista, creo que es perfecta la combinación: una simple historia totalmente actual, real y creíble que Mike Skinner nos cuenta acompañado de pequeñas melodías y sencillos recursos musicales.
Listens: 2 Enjoyed I think so It was the most clear concept album so far in terms of storytelling and I quite like that. But the style just isn't for me. If you told me this was a skit I would fully accept it. Sort of feels like an early noughties version of 'People just do nothing' Fit but you know it' feels like the point Incel became mainstream 'Dry your eyes' is by far the best on the album. It suits his voice and is an excellent climax
Enjoy the concept and execution
Quite a fun project
Curious
interesting concept, but vocals were often too annoying. "blinded by the lights" and "dry your eyes" were the best songs
Jako kul priča al da fali neki flow da mi bude četvorka
Sviđa mi se koncept, ljubav, droga, općenito. No, problem mali je u tome što mu je flow dosta slab, nekako amaterski - valjda s razlogom jer više priča priču nego što repa, više vuče na tipa ono pričanje kao u Parklife od Blura. Nekad mi to zasmeta na albumu, beatovi su super, kažem, koncept je dobar, poput neke mini serije - moglo bi se zamisliti. 3.5/5 mi je. Dobar album, valja ga preslušati i definitivno zvuči britansko.
OK, when I heard the chorus I kneeeeeeew these guys were inspired by the group called The Shaggs! I like that, they do it well! Very interesting and I Love the heavy British accent. I get excited when I hear British singers allowing their accents to come through in their songs. Background music is a bit repetitive for me. I think it would be fun to learn all the words.
Yeah, this isn't really my kind of thing, but it's okay, I guess. Some nostalgia value for Well Be In, for example. Blinded by the Lights is the main one I remember, and it holds pretty well, I guess. But yeah, this kind of slow, regular talking style of rap isn't my deal for the most part. Oh, Dry Your Eyes is good too. I'm glad he found his thousand quid at the end, even if this didn't totally do it for me.
ok
Good follow-up to their debut, though not as good imo. 6-7/10
Interesting flow and just "normal day" subject matter. Not sure I'm a huge fan though.
Original, fun, quirky, great London beats
okay rap sound.
Alsof je in een auto zit met off-centre wielen; hele andere flow dan ik ooit eerder heb gehoord, cool!
Ik mag dit wel. Gezellig 🙂.
English rap band. Ok if you like rap I thought it was a little bit different.
The homemade sound of this album was both off-putting and its charm. The closest comparison I can think of is the Shaggs. I liked the idea of a rap opera, but I would like to see and hear the movie cast... The story was interesting and fun. I liked listening and hearing it unfold. I just have to ask, do I really want to listen to it again...
This was a quirky album. Definitely a not just a collection of unrelated singles, but a full-out story of this poor dude. The story wasn’t actually all that interesting to me and at times it almost felt like when a kid is making up a song about what they are doing as they are doing it. I didn’t find the beats all that interesting either. I applaud the innovation, but it didn’t really rock my world.
I'm honestly not sure how I feel about this. It was interesting...I think?
Way better than I thought, proof that ‘rap’ doesn’t have to be about shouty aggressive lyrics & it’s piqued my interest in his other work, especially the non-rap stuff.
Good storytelling and funny. Prefer Original Pirate Material.
Not bad
This is so freaking Bri-ish
The Street's lyrics are at their best when they're conversational, vulnerable and a little bit awkward, and Mike Skinner does a fine job and working those into his self-centred storytelling on A Grand Don't Come For Free. Some of the tracks just don't land for me, possibly because they haven't aged super well. Fav Tracks: Could Be Well Now, Dry Your Eyes and It Was Suppose to Be so Easy
Some really cool tunes here. Great storytelling interesting sounds/beats. I enjoyed my listen not sure if I want or need any further listening though. 3 🌟
3.5/5
Disc de hip hop molt musical, conceptual sobre les vivències del protagonista a Londres, i les seves penúries diàries. Recordo quan era la "nina dels ulls" de l'NME, mitjans dels 00s, el van reivindicar massa, jo crec. Però el disc és força bo i molt més digerible que el 80% del hip hop USA
Pretty weird.
British hip-hop. Not in the mood for ATM
An old friend, not as good as I recalled
Second Listen. Starting to really grow on me. I wasn't crazy about it the first time I heard it. 3/5
Cool story, but the beats is mid to me
No british hip hop please…
As the one Brit in the group, faced up with something so aggressively British, I feel I should defend this. It's ambitious - a spoken word concept album, essentially (I would hesitate to call it rap or hip hop) that comes from a very singular perspective. Now, whether you enjoy Skinner's delivery is one thing (I don't), but his use of slang and storytelling, and ability to evoke a mood and atmosphere, are great. This was huge during my first year of university, and probably captured something of the slacker ambience of that time. Speaking of the zeitgeist, however, this album feels dated, a relic before its time - perhaps it was too honed in on the spirit of the age to endure?
Still good, not sure if it's better than Original Pirate Material though
Love the concept album. Drags out too much and he can be a chore to listen to, but you absolutely know what you're getting into. Shoutout the gambling one and the genuinely heartful break-up one Already Saved: Not Addicted; Fit but You Know It Saved After Listening: Blinded by the Lights, Dry Your Eyes*
Recall when a local alternative station put "Fit But You Know It" on heavy rotation. It irritated me at the time, and now listening to the whole album I sincerely don't get the hype. The musical accompaniment is so slight, the delivery of the lyrics so one-note. Bare points for cleverness in the storytelling but really don't feel any need for more of this.
Artist/band and his/their music were heretofore unknown to me, and I'm glad this project introduced me to all this. Some cool stuff in here; a real interesting hodgepodge of styles.
Stereotypically and satisfyingly British: The scenes of nights out, the accent, the talk-rapping, and the musical landscape are all present. There's lots of production variance, mostly to the record's benefit, and a tape rewind at the end (cliché, but not telegraphed).
Boa sequencia para escutar rap
it's alright
Rap opera is not really for me, but I certainly found the concept to be interesting and thought the production was just really well done. In some ways, I was kind of sad that I couldn't really get into it. Some favourites from the album included Not Addicted and Dry Your Eyes.
Rating: 6/10 Best songs: Blinded by the lights, Fit but you know it, What is he thinking
A band I've never hear of. Pretty unique. The lyrics are good, but his cadence gets a bit repetitive. All in all, I'd listen again.
I have general troubles listening to lyrics, so this one was pretty tough. A lot easier to listen to while reading the lyrics, because that's where the album shines. I don't think the music was as good, as I felt it to be quite repetitive. I'll listen to this one again.
A blend of UK garage breaks and brit-pop beats. If Eminem was cockney, British and slightly less angry, then this would be the result.
British Rap is okay. Liked the concept of a rap opera.
Remember being disappointed by this after Original Pirate Material but to be fair it was a brave move to do a concept album (kind of) and it did bring Skinner a mass audience. Hadn’t listened to this in years and it is still just ok. OPM does get the odd run out and will always be a 5 in my book. Blinded By The Lights is a great track though.
I was really disappointed in this album when it came out. After Original Pirate Material this felt like a massive let down. I listed to it a fair but at the time but never loved in the way I loved the debut. Listening today for the first time in many years things did not start well. Everything felt too sparse, the lyrics either too laboured or not laboured enough and the “concept” seemed unnecessary - songs like Not Addicted felt like a chore. Blinded by lights is a fantastic track though and for me was the point where I get sucked into the album and feel part of Mike’s story. About halfway through I was being won over and really enjoying my listen. Fit But You Know It is a banger that you want to hate but just cant and Such a T**t is a great track also. By the time we reach the brilliant album closer Empty Cans I feel completely immersed and I realised that they attempted an adventurous concept album and have pulled it off. It’s not the classic the the debut was, but it’s more bold and adventurous and ultimately a very good “difficult second album”
owned this album when it first came out, loved it. I think it the first concept album i ever listened to, the story is really great. I will never not love fit but you know it, classic.
me gustaron mucho las vibras y es bastante fácil de escuchar
Gefälliger Rap ist eine Beleidigung ich habe es so empfunden
Interesting voice and rap style.
A good album and nostalgic listen!
Not for me
I enjoyed this, probably not as much as I would have done back in the day. ***
Het is niet slecht maar ik vind het niet zo spannend
Aged
Doesn't compare to Original Pirate Material for me
Definitely interesting and one of a kind as a concept album. I enjoy the conversational, Seinfeld-esque "about nothing" style. I appreciate getting into this guy's life. The instrumentals are spare and usually underwhelming. The delivery is kind of awkward. It requires a close listen to appreciate.
super cool album to listen to, you can hear how it influenced other albums.
Ok, accent to heavy and distracting.
like it wasn't bad but it wasn't good either. like British 21 pilots
Always felt like The Street are let down by melodies - like the lyrics got written first and then forced into any old melody. But I like the album and the concept.
3.5 stars
I allllmost want to give this a 4, but maybe that's just the fact that I typically don't enjoy this genre. I think last time I listened to UK rap/garage/grime, I was extremely turned off and only found little value/appeal in it. However, this was slightly melodic and the conversational style of rap-sing actually worked for me.
This album definitely sounds like 2004. I thought the concept was really original and endearing. I liked how he told the story. It's not the best rapping I've ever heard but it was pretty good.
Very very British. Felt like I needed to revolt or something after this. But after I got over the super thick accent and the sing/rap style, it was a decent listen. Probably won't listen again, but it wasn't as bad as my initial impression was going to lead me to believe. 3.5/5.
Not a fan, doesn't really work for me outside of Blinded By The Lights. I can see the vision but I really don't like a lot of the beats.
Ah tiens, du hip hop merdique !
Let's start with the fact that this album isn't even remotely close to having any good reason for being on this or any other list of top albums. Especially when his album "Original Pirate Material" is the OBVIOUS RIGHT THERE. But, that single "Fit But You Know It" is a good time I guess? I didn't like The Streets. There wasn't much for redeemable qualities when he came out, but he did create a specific British sound that I have since warmed up to in band(s) like Sleaford Mods. But, as decent as the production on this album is, he just makes a mess of it by talking and leaning heavy on the accent/slang to do the work. 2 stars
This all sounds very much like a collection of demos. This is lacking any polish or refinement. Not that everything needs to be polished to the max, but at least SOME more production work and rounds of revision would have been nice. The beats on here have some really cool ideas, I especially like Blinded By The Lights and Fit But You Know It in that aspect that nonetheless are sadly muddied by the general roughness of the album. The rapping is utter rubbish in parts, the singing isn’t much better. It sounds like a first recording of an idea made on a phone. Mike Skinner seems weirdly off-beat almost all the time, the worst offenders are the first two tracks on here. I kinda enjoy the british accent and vocabulary, tho. The parts sung by others are usually quite competent and nice to listen to, thankfully. The lyrics certainly are an interesting exploration of the life of a british bloke in the early 2000s and the headspace Skinner was in. This album is baffling. I genuinely think this could have been great. It got slightly better in the second half, but i have no desire to listen to this ever again. The only exception is Dry Your Eyes, which is a genuinely great song.
ENGLISH.
Was gonna give this a three for originality, but it got old really quick. Very repetitive. Then just annoying. So 2.
I don't like Mike Skinner as a rapper. Between the humdrum flows, weak singing attempts and flat delivery he makes the music tough to listen to. The beats are quite good but that's about it.
UK hip hop ?? De 2002 ? Aïe J’aime bien l’instru de la première mais il rappe mal Peut-être que si le rap américain existait pas j’apprécierais Fit but you know it est effectivement la meilleure, mais elle est bof L’album est assez corny, c’est carrément nul en fait Le chanteur attire quand même la sympathie Get out of my house : beurk 3/10
low to mid tier brit rap trash, 85 percent skips. Not worth a listen except for "fit but know it"
Aged like fine milk. Gets an extra star for Fit But You Know It and Dry Your Eyes
God this was awful
No tiene nada que ver conmigo. Se soporta
5/10
30/05/2026 This album is carried by the one song. Which ironically took me years to even appreciate. This album is piss poor and I could not wait for it to be finished. Spotify listeners: 1.6 million
Not OPM and pretty crap
Blinded by the lights is the only great song here
A rap opera… interesting. It was kind of weird, a lot of British accented rapping but kind of boring.
Jeepers a Brit rapper who’s kinda meh
Not my cuppa
Is there a more mundane concept for a thematic album than "guy too dumb to use banks loses a roll of cash in his TV cabinet"? And his clipped delivery shows why there's never been a superstar white British rapper. At least there's almost no misogynistic slurs or general gross sex raps about women, so you get an extra star for that even though I will never listen to this again.
Do I like it, fuck yes. Do I think it’s essential? Fuck no.
Unlike the first album, on one listen I find very little vibe that really grabs me. Unlike its predecessor, there is also few about music mix, except the Brit pop “Fit but you know it”. Some tracks start well (“what is he thinking”) but are quickly tiring. No time to get pulled into his opera stories about love and stolen money either. I don’t hate it but listening again his first album, I still believe it was shining more.
Det här var inte alls så roligt som jag hoppats på. Nyhetens behag med debuten är helt borta här. Det är egentligen bara den gubbrockiga Fit but you know it som sticker ut.
A few good songs I vibed too but some of it kinda sounded like a parody of itself
I was expecting to enjoy A Grand Don’t Come for Free. But it fell short imo with better rap operas and UK rappers out there.
This was weird
Yenno I respect the fact that this is here. UK rap is such a different bread of rap than what most of us know and love. One, they have the accent... and two they rap overtop of the beat like they don't know its there, well atleast Mike Skinner does on A Grand Don't Come For Free. I'm giving this an extra star for the fact that its a concept album and that he tells a story. But honestly, you're shitting yourself Mike if you think I'm gonna hone in on what you are saying when you sound like a slam poet who continuously scores last place at each and every slam poetry event you attend. Give me the spark notes on this shit and I'd be much better off than listening to him warble on. I was curious to hear some of his other tunes, another reviewer suggested checking out Original Pirate Material, and although it sounded similar, it was loadddssss better than this shit. (still not my cuppa tea ;)). Anyways, love the diversity, love deepening my musical knowledge and depth. But I will not return again to A Grand Don't Come for Free, and I will never find out why there was a grand hidden behind your TV... You're welcome for the 2/5 Mike. 3/10
Who is this even for?
tranquilo
Dashcam music
When the British stole from Black American Blues artists decades ago, it was an honoring of a form of art that was under appreciated by Americans. This seems like it was an attempt to make money after listening to one of two examples of Hip Hop from American culture. This was dull, and has no place on this list.
Volvemos hoy a un género que en un momento del reto apareció mucho y hace mucho no se me sugería. Va bien como música de fondo, con la particularidad de que es un inglés rapeando. Nada más para agregar. Nos vemos el viernes.
What on earth have I just listened to? Everyone knows some wannabe local rapper that sounds exactly like this but you slap a “rap-opera” label on the album and somehow it’s significant? No clue how this makes the list. I’m giving it a two for comedic value.