Oh, Manchester, So Much To Answer For

Whoa. The Streets' A Grand Don't Come For Free is light-years on from Original Pirate Material, more musically than lyrically - though lyrically, it's much more on-point and tight, too. Mike Skinner, who many are already ready to crown Man of the Year, has earned it this time. This is also one of the most purely Brit albums to come down the pike since, oh, Parklife? [If you're down with the Oasis-as-Faces theory, maybe Definitely Maybe, then.] As for my earlier criticism for "Fit But You Know It," I won't say I was wrong, per sé, but will say that it works much, much better in the context of the album - and after repeated spins, works much better than I'd thought as a stand-alone single. And speaking of repeated spins, with each one, this Grand sounds better and better. More of a full review to come, prob'ly. Guv.