The Streets

I got The Streets album the other day and its dead good. The songs are about every day things that you can understand and none of this whores, niggaz, bitch bollocks that all the dickhead gangster rappers go on about. Anyone heard it? What do you think of The Streets?

The Streets "Original Pirate Material" is indeed a good album. I downloaded the edited songs off Audiogalaxy a few weeks before Seb Briggs kindly mailed me the official disc. I saw on BBC America that The Streets were nominated for a Mercury Music Prize. Weak Become Heroes is a great account of clubbing in the early 90's and I can't wait to hear the Ashley Beedle remix.

I think this is an item worthy of inclusion in a timecapsule to represent a specific era in British Youth Culture.

`I think this is an item worthy of inclusion in a timecapsule to represent a specific era in British Youth Culture.' Yeah, I agree with that.;)

The Streets album is a classic. However, I've read that some journalists were sent a promo version of the album with a slightly different track listing that was even better and that prior to release one or two really great tracks were removed and replaced with inferior tracks (I think "Sharp Darts" was one of the tracks added at the last minute). If anyone else has read or heard this story but can remember more please tell me but I'll try to find out more after I post this message.

Whatever really happened the version of "Original Pirate Material" that was released should win the Mercury Music Prize because the next best album on the list (Doves' "The Last Broadcast" is nowhere near as good). However, the best album of the year (Spiritualized's "Let It Come Down") didn't even make the shortlist.

Found it!!! According to The Guardian, "Skinner can only improve with time. For now he's still making mistakes - his decision to swap All Got Our Runnins, the fantastic ninth track that appeared on promotional copies of the album, with the scrappy Don't Mug Yourself being the most criminal."

Whilst the story may be true I think the reviewer is wrong about "Don't Mug Yourself" - it may be short but it's brilliant.

Originally posted by ceremony I got The Streets album the other day and its dead good. The songs are about every day things that you can understand and none of this whores, niggaz, bitch bollocks that all the dickhead gangster rappers go on about. Anyone heard it? What do you think of The Streets?

Agree totally, top album and well worthy of the prize (which it won't win). The wee guy comes accross as a complete wide boy in interviews though, shame.

I actually quite like the guy - Mike Skinner. Seems quite a funny bloke. Not mad keen on the music but the potentials certainly there. BTW Brian, the Ashley Beadle remix is excellent - real nice balearic laid back feel. If you've heard his mix of Bent's 'Always', you'll get the idea...

good call + the SORT in the cafe "Weak Become Heroes" video...she is tidy!

Originally posted by Seb Briggs I actually quite like the guy - Mike Skinner. Seems quite a funny bloke. Not mad keen on the music but the potentials certainly there. BTW Brian, the Ashley Beadle remix is excellent - real nice balearic laid back feel. If you've heard his mix of Bent's 'Always', you'll get the idea...

Here Seb, did u ever check out Ashley Beedle's mix of "One Night Stand" by The Aloof? It goes on for about 12 minutes...awesome.

I do like Weak Become Heroes, but does he chatter on like that through every track on the album? I think that might get on my nerves just a bit....

Originally posted by Grahame Ferguson > Originally posted by Seb Briggs> I actually quite like the guy - Mike Skinner. Seems quite a funny bloke. Not mad keen on the music but the potentials certainly there. BTW Brian, the Ashley Beadle remix is excellent - real nice balearic laid back feel. If you've heard his mix of Bent's 'Always', you'll get the idea...

Here Seb, did u ever check out Ashley Beedle's mix of "One Night Stand" by The Aloof? It goes on for about 12 minutes...awesome.

...havent actually - one to check out I think

Originally posted by Kez-bah I do like Weak Become Heroes, but does he chatter on like that through every track on the album? I think that might get on my nerves just a bit....

i have to agree, it gets really rather irritating

Originally posted by flo > Originally posted by Kez-bah> I do like Weak Become Heroes, but does he chatter on like that through every track on the album? I think that might get on my nerves just a bit....

i have to agree, it gets really rather irritating

Hmmm, I can't help but think of Carter USM (which is not a good thing)

Originally posted by Kez-bah Hmmm, I can't help but think of Carter USM (which is not a good thing)

Are yee knockin' Carter USM ageen, lady?? ;)

I understand why Kez-bah made a connection between The Streets and Carter USM. Yes, both featured unconventional vocalists and lyrics about everyday real life situations and both used basic-sounding technology. However, they're not necessarily bad things. Besides, if you listen to Carter USM and try to ignore the shouty vocal style and the so-bloody-obvious drum machine you'll find that they wrote some excellent songs. The Carter USM singles compilation is well-worth buying for "Lean On Me I Won't Fall Over" (which is the opposite of R.E.M.'s "Everybody Hurts"), "Sheriff Fatman" and "The Only Living Boy In New Cross" (and I effectively got it for free because it was only five quid and when I bought it I got to use a five-pound-off voucher - beat that ROCKET MICK!!!)

So let's have no more knocking Carter USM or The Streets because what they lack in technique they make up for in style.

I remember Fruitbat from Carter USM once sayin' in an old interview that they were actually very much like a faster, more punk version of Pet Shop Boys (!!) cos they used similar sequenced sounds and even Jimbob's vocals sounded like a more spiteful, sneering Neil Tennant. And when they did that ace cover/demolition job on "Rent" it all seemed to make perfect sense..... Fruitbat was right - strip away those loud punky guitars and you DID have in effect the Pet Shop Boys! There are some songs which illustrate this so well: "Watching The Big Apple" (B-side of "Only Living Boy in New Cross") and "Anytime Anyplace Anywhere" are the most obvious examples of this, bearing uncanny similarity to that of the PSBs. (BTW, I never rated the PSBs - too knowing, smart-ass and clever for my liking). If the Pet Shop Boys were the Smiths you could dance to (© Neil Tennant), then Carter USM were the PBSs you could stage dive to and The Streets come across a bit like a UK Garage version of The Specials.....

its fucking crap!

I love the Streets album. For an American kid who always wanted to be English, this is as good as it gets...i coulda been a wide boy, up for it, getting off my face, necking pills, running from the bobbies, eatin fish and chips, and fucking sheep...but i suppose being Northern isn't all it's cracked up to be.

Notice too, how much the little fella (Mike Skinner) from The Streets resembles Ralf Little - albeit possessed of a slightly more cherubic face?? :D