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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
So, what to do once you’ve pushed things forward, had a song and a little dance about it and sold the t-shirt? Push things back? Mike Skinner, aka The Streets, faced such a quandary following the comparatively aimless shambles that was third album The Hardest Way to Make An Easy Living which hobbled with neither a clear style or sense of self; a significant problem when he’d justified his existence on incisive social narrations, a unique voice and sharp musical intuitions. He was in need of either a hark back to the glory of his debut (2002’s Original Pirate Material) or a full reinvention. As chances of him having enjoyed a rubbery kebab from a plastic tray in a town-centre gutter at 4am of late are slim, a reinvention it is then. Everything Is Borrowed concentrates squarely on the feel-good vibe that has driven his celebrated live shows, staying optimistic even when low-key, an intention emphasised by his accrual of a live band to record with in the studio for the first time and fire the tone. And to go with big production ideals come bigger ideas and his transformation from commentator to pub philosopher, putting the world to rights. Ok, so that may only be a moderate success--his ponderings aren't especially progressed and his vocabulary disappointingly stumpy--but bright summer sing-along "Heaven for the Weather", speakeasy jazz 2-step "I Love You More" and chill-out rambling gospel anthem "The Escapist" more than justify the gamble. --James Berry
Review
Things used to be much simpler for Mike Skinner. His biggest problems used to involve drinking too much brandy, holiday romances and dating celebrities.
Not any more. Now he's facing those nagging points of humanity that keep a bright mind unsettled at night - life, love, death and religion.
In many ways, Everything Is Borrowed is the culmination of the course that began on Never Went To Church. Skinner is no longer the scrawny wannabe looking for a Class A; he's concerned about the environment (Way Of The Dodo), saving us from despair (On The Edge Of A Cliff), charting his own path to enlightenment (Alleged Legends) and worrying about his immortal soul (Heaven For The Weather).
Thankfully, he's not become pompous; the album is still filled with trademark wit. It's just that he's looked into himself and found a depth that's lurked there from the start - remember the beautifully honest Weak Become Heroes? - but never really had a chance to surface.
It has now. The maturity of Everything! shines out of the hook-packed tunes and, though he still comes with flaws - the deeply weird stalker tune Never Give In and the disco brothers-in-arms nonsense of Sherry End could have both done with a lot more thought - the album shows that he genuinely is a star.
He still might not be able to rap or rhyme, but on this evidence, he may yet turn out to be 21st century Britain's very own Gil Scott-Heron. --Chris Long
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Skinner delivers something new again ; 1st listens feel bit weird as you expect some pirate material or "dry your eyes"-ish stuff, but this is fresh and new material. Cant stop playing the CD now. The album quickly disappeared from UK top 10 and know what ? That's a good sign : Skinner's back underground with some sounds not accessible to anyone's ears. Good sign for a long carrer ! No Oasis syndrom here...
Format:Audio CD
Like a lot of people I enjoyed the journey the Mike Skinner made with the Streets, I could relate to the life laid out in Original Pirate Material and A Grand Don't Come for Free. I felt he lost his audience in Hardest Way To Make an Easy Living, the formula of writing about your life didn't work for me as Mike was no longer one of us but a real celebrity living a celebrity lifestyle, I can't relate to that.
There's a new direction on this album, not so personal to Mr Skinner's life, and this is probably a good thing, but it is a beautiful album. The songs all stand alone and they show a lot of thought and have a subtlety that reveals more every time you listen to it. As ever with Mr Skinner's work it's all about the lyrics and he succeeds in both making you smile and think.
Give this album a listen, I'm sure you wont regret it.
There's a new direction on this album, not so personal to Mr Skinner's life, and this is probably a good thing, but it is a beautiful album. The songs all stand alone and they show a lot of thought and have a subtlety that reveals more every time you listen to it. As ever with Mr Skinner's work it's all about the lyrics and he succeeds in both making you smile and think.
Give this album a listen, I'm sure you wont regret it.
Format:Audio CD
If you liked 'Pirate Material' & 'Grand Don't Come', then you might want to see if you can listen to this album before you buy it. I've got the two earlier albums, & they're still great but this one just doesn't do it for me. Perhaps I'm not appreciating Skinner's new more 'grown-up' sound, but to me this is definately his weakest collection so far.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Great CD
I bought all of the Streets' albums. I would have rated 5-stars, but a number of the CD cases were broken when they arrived.
Published 10 months ago by Ed Byrne
He did it again.
I just can say: "WONDERFUL" - if it would be possible i gave 10 stars.
It's very different to the The Streets albums before, but it is certainly one of the best! Read more
It's very different to the The Streets albums before, but it is certainly one of the best! Read more
Published on 18 Dec 2009 by M. Kandzia
Everything Is Borrowed
I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE this cd. Every song is brilliant. Mike Skinner is a genius. Ahem.... received the cd quickly and well packaged. ++++++++++++++++++++ Thanks.
Published on 11 Oct 2009 by Ms. L. Kellas
Streets album, Everything is borrowed
Album is not that great the music just isnt as good as the first album and second one. Probabaly 3 stand out songs the rest are average. Read more
Published on 17 July 2009 by Mr. T. Halsall
Skinner - nothing like David Schwimmer...
In that his work is truly humourous, but never throw-away, and he's capable of reinventing himself - which he really has done here. Read more
Published on 5 Jun 2009 by L. J. Edwards
A Solid Little Effort
Young Mr Skinner done good.
With 'Everything Is Borrowed' he delivers a
solid and perfectly respectable little album. Read more
With 'Everything Is Borrowed' he delivers a
solid and perfectly respectable little album. Read more
Published on 19 Mar 2009 by The Wolf
it beats the last album.....
ok its not original pirate material or a grand but this is getting far more bad press than is deserved the last album was indeed dire but this album has much more in the way of... Read more
Published on 12 Jan 2009 by K. M. Edwards
skinner genious
so maybe it's not as good, original or fresh as the first album but still loads of quality songs - the only criticism i have it could do with more variety but still a 5 out of 5 no... Read more
Published on 23 Dec 2008 by ian roberts
His best.
I just can't understand why this album has got some bad reviews as it is Skinners best album by far. Read more
Published on 20 Nov 2008 by Robin
Excellent
One of my purchases of the year and easily the best Streets album so far. This album Mike grows up a bit and after watching the Beat Stevie series on TV you can see that an... Read more
Published on 30 Oct 2008 by Mr. T. A. Watson
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