The Streets - A Grand Don't Come For Free

Any groundbreaking debut album deserves your respect, but when sophomore effort time comes around, the artist deserves sympathy, patience and understanding. In an ideal world each album would be judged on its own merit, untainted by the gleam of past success. But it's not, so they're not, and unfortunately for Mike Skinner (aka The Streets), not many debuts gleamed like Original Pirate Material.

Skinners bow was THE critical darling of 2002/3. With its half-spoken, half-rapped witty urban lyrics (all Kronenburg, birds and geezers set to progressive hooks) it was the album that saved the burgeoning UK garage scene from drowning in the swamp of self-parody created by comedy tough guys So Solid Crew and beanie-hat wearing softie Craig David.

Original Pirate Material was the proverbial breath of fresh air, and with lyrics like You say that everything sounds the same / Then you go buy them. / Theres no excuses my friend / Lets push things forward it seemed that he knew it.

Skinner would seem to be a prime candidate for second album syndrome. If he retreads the same (or a similar) path he risks being labeled a one trick pony by expectant critics. If he heads off in a new direction, then previously loyal fans will make for the exits. So, to appease both groups, the new album needs to be both same and different; this brain-hurting paradox only hints at just how fraught with danger the whole things is. They dont call it the difficult second album for nothing.

Yet Skinner has pulled off the seemingly impossible on A Grand Dont Come For Free, walking the very thin tightrope between old and new, same and different. The same sharp wit, the same catchy hooks, the same old slightly off-key but oddly appealing singing. The deviation from this well-established ground is that A Grand Dont Come For Free is a concept album. Stop rubbing your eyes; you read that correctly.

The albums 11 tracks tell a simple yet satisfying tale. Nothing elaborate and prog-rock like (nothing about goblins or werewolves,) just an old-fashioned boy meets girl, boy loses girl story, plus the titular thousand pounds and a spot of recreational drug use. Its all very focused, never straying from the narrative, so the playful boasting of Original Pirate Material (in 500 years theyll play this song in museums) is wisely put aside in favour of exploring the characters various emotional states.

Where Original Pirate Material could be likened to a sketch show - unrelated little vignettes populated by hilarious but one-dimensional characters, A Grand Dont Come For Free is more complete. As you listen to the album in its entirety (and you should) its not hard to visualise as a film, a low budget British feature starring Mike Skinner (left) as himself. Alongside our main protagonist, the cast of supporting characters take turns to share centre stage, each time advancing the plot with the kind of narrative twists that Syd Field himself would approve of. In fact, its so much like a film that I wont spoil it by giving away the ending.

More than just a gimmicky conceit, the plot is driven by the music, with enough room for some Original Pirate Material style social observation along the way. The greatest success here, and the reason this works as a concept album (and how often can you say that?) is that the tracks follow and mirror the characters emotions perfectly. As with all good films, you genuinely care what happens to this character.

However, the nature of the story dictates that the tone of this album is more downbeat than its predecessor, so its difficult to see many singles being harvested from A Grand Dont Come For Free; such is the price of creating a story-centric long player. The only exception is Fit But You Know It which, with its (almost) annoyingly catchy chorus and glam-rock sample, provides a much needed change of pace midway through, and coinciding with Skinners alter egos emotional upswing.

This more mature, same but different, perfectly judged follow up is now the shining example of how to one-up yourself, so kudos to Mike Skinner. The only question now is: hows he ever going to top this?

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