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Tag: The Streets

  • New Music In Stores and Online10/7/08: The Streets, Sarah McLachlan, Oasis & More!!!

    Obviously I can’t have a record buying bonanza every week, otherwise I’d go broke. Definitely not a good look in today’s economy. So, this week will mark something of a vacation for me, with only one release that I’m nutso about. Here’s this week’s lineup of releases.

    Mike Skinner AKA The Streets. Photo by "realname".

    The Streets “Everything is Borrowed”:
    Folks on these shores (most of ’em) don’t get Mike Skinner or his style of music. Considering I didn’t think Amy Winehouse would cross over, I think Skinner is long overdue for some American love. “Everything is Borrowed” is his fourth, and reportedly the last album he is releasing under the Streets moniker. Expect more personal raps spiced with enough British slang that you might have to IM your best friend from London to ask “what the hell is he talking about here?”

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  • New Video: The Streets “The Escapist”

    It’s my hope that if American audiences managed to “get” Amy Winehouse, then they’ll eventually “get” Mike Skinner who is better known as The Streets. The British rapper has released three excellent albums over the past six years, but has yet to really catch on with audiences Stateside, although in his homeland, he’s a megastar. His albums reveal a much more complex personality than the average 2008-era rap artist (which is probably why he hasn’t been successful here-complex personalities are a little too far-reaching for most Americans), and if you can make it through the thick accent, you’ll be rewarded with music that’s occasionally laugh out loud funny, and occasionally heart-rending.

    His new single, “The Escapist” finds Skinner lowering the tempo and adopting a reflective tone. The video is amazing. Not only is it a concept video in an age where it’s very easy to just show a bunch of chicks dancing half-naked and call it art, but the scenery is breathtaking. Besides, everyone needs to escape every once in a while, right? Boy, have I been feeling that something awful lately.

    Anyway, the YouTube video pauses frequently on my computer…I don’t know that it will do the same on yours. So I’ve also included a link to Skinner’s site, where you can not only watch the video without it stopping every 10 seconds, but you can also download the song for free. Enjoy.

    http://www.the-streets.co.uk