UK artist The Streets (known to his mum as Mike Skinner) released his brilliant debut "Original pirate material" in 2002 and I was hooked. With his very British sounding spoken/rapped delivery set to a skeletal garage groove and lyrics taking a look at life as a young man in Britain, it was most unlike anything else out then.
"Everything is borrowed" is his fourth CD and features a fuller sound (horns, guitar, strings, harmonies), and while not as dance-ey as his debut, he hasn't lost any of his wit or poet's skills. It took me a while to get into, but it's now become my second favourite Streets CD after his debut.
The title track opens the CD, an organ intro leading into a midtempo number with lyrics declaring "I came into this world with nothing/and I leave with nothing but love/everything else is just borrowed. "Heaven for the weather" is an upbeat song with a rousing sing-along chorus, while "The way of the dodo" has a slight Dub feel.
"I love you more (than you love me)" is a piano driven number, somewhat like Kanye West's "Homecoming" (but without the gospel feel). "On the flip of a coin" is a mellow swinging ballad (with nice strings), and "On the edge of a cliff" features fleeting horns and an interesting tale about a man who was about to jump from a cliff until a timely intervention from an old man.
Next come a pair of eighties sounding groovy dance songs; "Never give in", and "The sherry end" (the latter with intermittent trumpet bursts, and some wicked guitar).
"Alleged legends" is theatrical and ominous sounding, a look at religion. The tender acoustic/piano ballad "The strongest person I know" pays homage to someone Skinner regards as being quietly/calmly strong. Closing is the soothing and almost symphonic "The escapist", somewhat like "Dry your eyes" from his sophomore disc but much better.
This CD shows growth and maturity in leaps and bounds. The album has already made the UK top 10, deservedly so.
Background: It was always clear that "Original Pirate Material" would be tough to follow. I felt the concept album "A Grand Don't Come for Free" did a nice job, but was enough of a departure from the first disc to still leave me questioning where Mike Skinner would take his music. "The Hardest Way to Make an Easy Living" left me scratching my head.
Foreground: With "Everything's Borrowed" Skinner affirms his forte at hipster beats and clever lyrics. Artistically, this is probably the best Streets' record and is musically more mature than its predecessors. For me this album is the missing follow-up to OPM. I have a rejuvenated interest in the Streets and will anxiously await the next album.
This album is superb! It is very easy to see how he has matured with every album and this album keeps up with the progression. It is different but well worth a listen.
On my second full listening now. Great production on this album, very slick. Mike comes through very strong through the 80's guitar riffs. More mature, thoughtful Mr. Skinner really works on this album. Can't wait to pick it up in the States. On The Edge Of A Cliff is my choice for second the single.
