Legendary novelist, poet and alcoholic Charles Bukowski wrote novels featuring Henry Chinaski as the protagonist. It was clear to the reader Bukowski and Chinaski were one and the same. Similarly The Streets is Mike Skinner and Mike Skinner is The Streets.

Skinner, possibly the only successful rapper (oh, but he’s so more than that) who shares an accent with Jasper Carrott, broke through with 2002’s Original Pirate Material. Two years on he’s managed, as The Streets, to navigate the pitfalls a potentially tricky second album offers. He’s done so by releasing a concept album. Don’t let that put you off. This isn’t the prog rock hell of Yes, but a sound so fresh Skinner should be sponsored by Wrigley’s.

Each song on A Grand Don’t Come for Free marks a new chapter in this story of a lost weekend in the life of a lead character who’s so obviously based on Skinner. “It was supposed to be so easy” sets the scene, telling of Skinner-like’s failed attempts to return a DVD. Addressing traditional themes through contemporary references, young Mike comes across as a long-lost ancestor of Dosteovksy. So instead of the money lender from Crime and Punishment, we have a cash machine. Same evil, different times.

Highlights include obligatory slow track ‘Blinded By The Lights’, first single ‘Fit But You Know It’, a raucous ‘Parklife’ for the 21^st century, and ‘Get Out Of My House’, a song recording an argument Mike has with his girlfriend, which effectively condenses the sentiments of ‘Fuck It’ and ‘F U Right Back’ into one track. Musically, Skinner’s following a path that’s similar to his debut. The voice of the PlayStation generation continues to be heard. Loud and proud.
(4½/5)

Release date: 10 May 2004