James Arden checks out the garage rockers latest album.
The Christian rock band from Brighton bring religion to the masses.
Recipe for modern R'n'B album: liberal helpings of guest rappers and an overdose of sexual euphemisms.
The last post on The Streets website states quite clearly “closed”. Mike Skinner has been making music under the stage name The Streets since 2002, grinding out album after album of Brummie rap hits. But now, his time has come and, unfortunately, The Streets are bowing out of the game. As the fifth album from Skinner, Computers and Blues plays it safe rather than trying to go with a bang and as a result the listener is blessed with more of the cheeky chappy lyrics that have made Skinner a star.
First track ‘Outside Inside’ is an awakening funky dance mix, reminiscent of a ringtone, which launches into the rest of the album. Clever lyrics take over for first single ‘Going Through Hell’, such as “At the end of the tunnel there is always a light/It just might be a train”. Heavy guitars build the track up to the climax of a catchy chorus, the signature of a Streets hit. The album title is apt with the lyrics talking of the modern virtual world, particularly on ‘Blip On A Screen’ and ‘OMG’. As another album of quick witted lyrics and fast paced electro, it’s hard to believe Skinner thinks he’s too old for the game as there’s significantly no evidence of this in his music.
Famed for his hits such as ‘Fit But You Know It’ and ‘Dry Your Eyes’, Skinner sings (or rather talks over music) of topics we can all relate too and Computers and Blues is no different. ‘We Can Never Be Friends’ talks of it being too hard to be friends with an ex (“Frank Bruno’s nose has seen too many blows”), and ‘Without Thinking’ goes into the stupid things we do, well, without thinking.
Computers and Blues ends rather fittingly with ‘Lock The Locks’. Speaking of packing up his desk and locking the doors, the song, and hence the album, ends without warning and rather abruptly, much like The Streets. Writing those songs that everyone knows is a challenge, but Skinner has achieved this time and time again, and, to be honest, I’m sad to see the end of The Streets. Skinner has said he’ll keep making music, but no longer under this stage name, and so it is we wave a fond farewell to The Streets forever.
★★★★☆
Like it? Try: Jamie T, Just Jack or Faithless
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