View Full Version : Streets, The - Everything is Borrowed
OKComputer1016
10/19/08, 11:57 AM
The Streets – Everything is Borrowed
Record Label: 679 / Vice
Release Date: September 15, 2008
“For billions of years since the outset of time / Every single one of your ancestors survived / Every single person on your mom and dad's side / successfully looked after and passed onto you life / What are the chances of that like?”
Believe it or not, every one of those words is jammed into the chorus of “On the Edge of a Cliff”, and every single word is crooned… meaning that the Streets have stuck to their original formula of spoken word verse and catchy-if-cluttered, unflowable choruses, only this time, everything Mike Skinner’s got to say is fortune cookie worthy. Each track has got some kind of really memorable slogan, usually optimistic and always really fucking huge. And every message, I’ve got to say, is awesome.
The liner notes ought to give the listener their first impression of Everything is Borrowed: it’s nothing but a bunch of pictures of vast, grand nature scenes like mountains and rocks and snow. Clearly Skinner set out to write the polar opposite of 2006’s clunker The Hardest Way to Make an Easy Living, in which he repeatedly told us what a pimp he is now that he has money over a lot of pretty lame beats. Big problem here: Skinner’s no Jay-Z. We like him because he’s an every-man, not because he’s famous.
Everything is Borrowed, though, has got literally the best production of any Streets album – Skinner has totally delivered. It’s got all the right kinds of influences, like Moby (“Heaven for the Weather”), Massive Attack (the excellent closer “The Escapist”) and, even though you won’t believe me, Pet Sounds-era Beach Boys (“The Strongest Person I Know”.) And when you factor in these really thoughtful lyrics, I’ve honestly ranked this one above the debut (CONTROVERSIAL STATEMENT ALERT!)
It’s a definite shame that Everything is Borrowed has been somewhat overlooked so far. Here we’ve got the dude getting back to his original plan of laying down his heart in words, and his knack for catchy, low-key music has never been more perfect. This is the reason people liked Mike Skinner in the first place: he’s got plenty to say. And it has never sounded better than it does right here.
Don’t Believe Me?
www.myspace.com/thestreets
Recommended If You Like:
There is nothing that sounds like the Streets, and there is no Streets album that really sounds like this one. You’re just going to have to take my word for it.
Keagan Ilvonen
10/19/08, 12:34 PM
Didn't even realize that there was a new album. I have to check this out.
OKComputer1016
10/19/08, 12:51 PM
yeah they didnt hype it too well, i gotta say
trash zoo
10/19/08, 01:12 PM
I agree, I like this album a lot, I think it's at least as good as OPM
ZoSo1886
10/19/08, 01:15 PM
i just listened to a grand dont come for free yesterday after a while of no streets, i almost forgot how amazing they are, definately have to check this out
noblerabbit
10/19/08, 01:18 PM
i dig the shit out of this album. and the chorus you quoted in the open is the line i give to people so they have an idea of what they are in for.
i know mike isn't for everyone, but if you take the time, he pays off so well.
(and i actually rank AGDCFF first over this one and pirate)
ZoSo1886
10/19/08, 01:30 PM
i dig the shit out of this album. and the chorus you quoted in the open is the line i give to people so they have an idea of what they are in for.
i know mike isn't for everyone, but if you take the time, he pays off so well.
(and i actually rank AGDCFF first over this one and pirate)
'a grand..' is freakin top notch
xglassjawx
10/19/08, 01:39 PM
This album is dulltastic.
If you've never heard him ignore this and buy Original Pirate Material. It's some of the most raw, honest, stripped down music you'll hear!
Özgür Kurtoglu
10/19/08, 01:53 PM
This album is dulltastic.
If you've never heard him ignore this and buy Original Pirate Material. It's some of the most raw, honest, stripped down music you'll hear!
Yeah, everybody seems to agree with you on this one. I haven't read a single good review for this album and people talk about The Streets being too far gone to even complete his planned final album. It got a 61 on Metacritic, and that is not a good score. Real shame, considering how fantastic tracks like Turn The Page are.
thesaddestfilm
10/19/08, 01:59 PM
all of his albums are amazing and tell a different part of his story. you certainly cannot ignore this release at all.
fuck all of the reviews. decide for yourself. (though this was a good review, as well as being on the positive side)
Recommended If You Like: mitchell bros, but also never had heard of the streets for some reason
SuNDaYSTaR
10/19/08, 02:19 PM
One artist I should listen to way more often; that guy is incredibly underrated and his lyrics are better than 99% of all the artists' out there.
ZoSo1886
10/19/08, 02:22 PM
This album is dulltastic.
If you've never heard him ignore this and buy Original Pirate Material. It's some of the most raw, honest, stripped down music you'll hear!
as is said in the review, this album seems much more produced than pirate or grand, which have an extremely raw feeling to them. this doesn't have that same feeling but the lyrics are still amazing
I've only heard on Streets song and never bothered to listen to anything else because I thought he was annoying. I don't really remember though, it was a while ago. I figure I'll give him another chance, so what album should I check out?
Özgür Kurtoglu
10/19/08, 02:36 PM
I've only heard on Streets song and never bothered to listen to anything else because I thought he was annoying. I don't really remember though, it was a while ago. I figure I'll give him another chance, so what album should I check out?
Original Pirate Material
MorningStar10
10/19/08, 02:44 PM
In the Uk there aint been much buzz around this album either despite his other two doing very well over here.
He is a lyrical genious, and truly a voice of a generation, his works are as contemperous now as they ever were, and i think that this album should definitely be given a listen.
ZoSo1886
10/19/08, 02:45 PM
Original Pirate Material
qft
Ravelle17
10/19/08, 03:24 PM
Normally I don't make grandiose, rude statements, but the following is concrete fact:
A Grand Don't Come for Free > Original Pirate Material >>> Everything is Borrowed >>>>>>> The Hardest Way to Make an Easy Living
thesaddestfilm
10/19/08, 04:27 PM
Normally I don't make grandiose, rude statements, but the following is concrete fact:
A Grand Don't Come for Free > Original Pirate Material >>> Everything is Borrowed >>>>>>> The Hardest Way to Make an Easy Living
I second this
Really like this album, love Skinner. Great to see a review for this - nice work.
Normally I don't make grandiose, rude statements, but the following is concrete fact:
A Grand Don't Come for Free > Original Pirate Material >>> Everything is Borrowed >>>>>>> The Hardest Way to Make an Easy Living
Except there are not 3 '>'s separating Everything Is Borrowed. I really enjoyed that whole concept/album.
xglassjawx
10/20/08, 05:53 AM
Imo
Original Pirate Material>A Grand Don't Come For Free>>>Most of this sort of music coming out of the UK>Most music>>>>>>>Everything Is Borrowed/The Hardest Way To Make An Easy Living
His last two albums are both as much of a snoozefest as eachother imo. I don't like the whole orchestral sound he's got going on now, it just doesn't suit his sound.
I'm probably the only one but I like The hardest way... the most. I don't like what I've heard from Everything is Borrowed at all. There's no grime beats, nothing about what it's like to live in the UK today, no Mitchell Brothers, no grey concrete and dead beats, nothing that I love about The Streets.
Mike, please sing about drugs, girls and pubs on a street level again!!
I'd rather listen to Example or Jamie T.
xglassjawx
10/20/08, 08:12 AM
I'm probably the only one but I like The hardest way... the most. I don't like what I've heard from Everything is Borrowed at all. There's no grime beats, nothing about what it's like to live in the UK today, no Mitchell Brothers, no grey concrete and dead beats, nothing that I love about The Streets.
Mike, please sing about drugs, girls and pubs on a street level again!!
I'd rather listen to Example or Jamie T.
*applauds*
What is better than singing about just going out and chatting about girls the next morning? It's just real UK life!
get up kidd
10/20/08, 10:58 AM
I want to get into them. I will have to check this out.
mushroom
10/20/08, 12:14 PM
i never cared for these guys until i saw them support muse, mike skinner is hilarious.
What is better than singing about just going out and chatting about girls the next morning? It's just real UK life!Nothing! I like the real UK life and I miss it's best interpreter!
Poochemist
10/20/08, 02:16 PM
Wow thanks for this review. I didn't know that a new album was out. And the fact that it is better than the last album sounds promising.
Blake Solomon
10/21/08, 12:15 AM
heard the title track today, and really enjoyed it. I'm going to look into this
Jumpoff
10/21/08, 06:31 PM
Everyone who is from the UK htat I speak to who happens to like the Streets former album said this one was terrible. :shrug:
Blake Solomon
10/21/08, 10:54 PM
finally got this. Think it's pretty dope, too
CrossMyHeart
10/24/08, 05:02 AM
as is said in the review, this album seems much more produced than pirate or grand, which have an extremely raw feeling to them. this doesn't have that same feeling but the lyrics are still amazing
It's got alot more mellow feeling to it which i dig, i wouldn't rate against his other albums it's different good in it's own right, just liek the others were.
laflava
10/28/08, 08:54 AM
Pirate was my shit, A Grand was my inspiration, but this album is a combination of what both of those albums did for me.
threepunchjim
11/03/08, 01:55 PM
Pirate was my shit, A Grand was my inspiration, but this album is a combination of what both of those albums did for me.
Word.
Poochemist
11/06/08, 05:45 AM
I finally picked this album up, and after one spin, I'm liking it a lot. What great beats, especially on the closing track.
thesaddestfilm
11/27/08, 05:04 AM
*applauds*
What is better than singing about just going out and chatting about girls the next morning? It's just real UK life!
His life changed, so he's singing about his new reality now.
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