A Grand Don't Come for Free [PA] by The Streets

Pros: Unique flow, beats, ideas and storytelling.
Cons: Only 11 tracks, two or three don't stand out very much. Not for everyone.

Mike Skinner is The Streets. The first album, Original Pirate Material, was a huge breathe of fresh air for rap as he practically invented his own genre, Talk-Rap. You might remember him from the single "Let's Push Things Forward." ...

Pros: "It's all my fault there's wall to wall empty cans"
Cons: "It's not my fault there's wall to wall empty cans"

It's hard for me to explain why sitting on the white, sandy shore of Rehoboth Beach (Delaware) and witnessing the waves ripple onto the shoreline is so mesmerizing, chilling, and beautiful. The effect isn't just felt the first time I see it after ...

Pros: unique storytelling, vivid details, one of a kind voice
Cons: spare production, not as catchy as the first album

-- I'm ammending my review. After living with this cd over a month, its depth, cleverness, and the power of its story telling make it much more solid, consistent, and enjoyable album than his second. bumping it up to 5 stars--- Mike Skinner pretty ...

Pros: Skinner's flowing lyrics; storytelling
Cons: He's often off-key and out of sync with the music

What would you think if I told you I found an album that told a story from track to track, complete with themes, plot, antagonist(s), conflict, and resolution? Probably be something along the lines of, "Tony, you're crazy." While I won't dispute that ...

Pros: Well constructed, entertaining, refreshing.
Cons: Mature references, takes getting used to, not the same as the first album.

I cannot begin to tell you how much I've been looking forward to this album. I wrote a review of the first one, and it well illustrates how quickly I became passionate about the streets. I read today that only about 125,000 copies of the first album ...

Pros: Musically, vocally, lyrically brilliant. 'Concept' element is major pro
Cons: A couple of weak songs, but they work in the context of the story.

The formula to writing a successful Streets-style song seems pretty easy upon listening- for the verse, take a chord progression that lasts approximately four bars, loop it about four times and narrate stories of everyday life using simple rhymes. For ...

Pros: Ending, or "Empty Cans"; intelligence; concept; "Blinded By the Lights" and "Dry your Eyes"
Cons: The beats used could be more interesting, compelling

The main strength of the British garage/two-step act Mike Skinner aka the Streets is his ability to capture an entire youth culture in music. While 2002’s brilliant Original Pirate Material provided disconnected snapshots of British youth culture ...

Pros: unique, fresh sound.
Cons: may not appeal to everyone's taste.

I must say, I am only recently a fan of The Streets. I had never heard of them until about a year ago when fortunately, but some stroke of luck, I was assigned to an exchange student from Ireland to room with. He listened to The Streets a lot, so ...

Pros: Unique style, interesting story told through album.
Cons: Some songs not as catchy as others.

Mike Skinner of The Streets is hardly known within the states, but shouldn't be! This album is very original with each song telling a story that leads to a happy ending in the last song. His style of rapping is creative and unique. He speaks but raps at the same time and adds in fun beats to keep the songs flowing. He's an amazing artist who deserves more recognition than he actually receives within the U.S.

Pros: Meaningful lyrics, catchy beats, British
Cons: Rap flow lacking

The first time I heard The Streets, I was initially shocked. British rapper? The idea had never occurred to me. As I listened to more of the songs, I began to really enjoy the music.

This is the 2nd CD from The Streets. Compared to the first, his flow seems to have gotten dramatically chopped up; it's not nearly as smooth as it was on the debut CD. This detail may cause people to shy away from listening to it, but believe it or not, it's still an excellent album.

While most of the raps are lacking in fluidity, the overwhelming strong-point for "A Grand Don't Come for Free" is the story-telling quality. There's actually a storyline that runs through all of the songs, which is easy to follow. It may sound far-fetched, but listening to each song truly sucks the listener into it, and manages to evoke substantial sympathy.

So, while this may not be the finest example of The Street's rap flow, the lyrics are still entertaining, and listening to this album is definitely an experience worth paying for.