It
appears that many of those who have faced the challenge of reviewing this album
are in agreement that word count is a real bind. There is just too much to say.
In fact, a small book could, and probably will, be written examining what The
Streets has achieved with the execution of Original Pirate Material.
It
could be argued that not since Never Mind The Bollocks... has there been a
record that has said as much about being young and living in the UK. Moreover,
what makes this album even more remarkable is that it is the work of a one
unassuming 22 year old, namely Mike Skinner.
Despite
an early passion for hip hop and house Mike was never embroiled in the London's
pirate radio scene, in fact he was working in Australia when the UK garage
cemented its position in the mainstream. Perhaps it is this cultural and
geographical distance that has kept Skinner's musical slate clean and allowed
him to forge this unique 'high rise' style. Ska, dub, house, drum and bass, hip
hop and UK garage have all been thrown in to The Streets' sampler for
processing and rearrangement. When combined with his vocal delivery the results
are mesmerising - not quite hip hop, not quite an MC and not quite slam poetry
but somewhere in between. He's engaged, enlightened and writes with a degree of
insight that is humorous, heart-wrenching, humbling and worthy of so much more
than this little review.
By his
own admission Original Pirate Material is the "day in the life of a
geezer" yet amongst the bitter sweet, inner city anecdotes of drugs,
violence, playing computer games, trips to the garage and going clubbing,
Mike's best punches are pulled when he is at his most sensitive. In "Weak
Become Heroes" he muses "It's easy, no one blames you, it's that
world out there that's f**ked!... you're no less of a person and if God exists
he still loves you, just remember that". In "Has It Come To
This" he announces, "The music's a gift from the man on high, the
lord and his children". More of these gems are revealed with successive
listens and it is clear as the title in "Let's Push Things Forward"
suggests Mike is on a mission.
In the
years to come if you're ever asked what it was like being young at the start of
the twenty first century you could do a lot worse than dig this album out of
your collection provided, of course, you've taken it out of your CD player.
Genius.
Purchase
'Original Pirate Material' here
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