Grand Don't Come for Free (The Streets) 5

All of this garage music came after my time, so I can't really compare this CD to others in its genre. But I love this record.

The songs are all thematically interrelated, each track progressing the story a little further about the everyday trials of Mike Skinner, who has failed to bring back his DVD to the rental store on time, can't withdraw money from the ATM, as his checking account is overdrawn, can't call his mum because his phone battery is dead and mislays a stack of cash into the bargain.

Further in the record, he complains about his television being broken, argues and breaks up with his girlfriend, and indulges in self pity, drinking cans of lager and reflecting on how unfair life is, what with having a broken TV, having unreliable mates that don't watch his back, losing all of that money, etc.

But then there is a happy end, and you feel good for the guy - you have lived through his troubles with him, seen him fail miserably in justifying his behaviour to his girlfriend, fretted with him about washing his jeans too high (causing them to shrink and feel tight), etc.

The Streets is pretty much a one-man show by the MC Mike Skinner. He raps in a cockney accent and the delivery is very jerky, with the background beats scaled back to a minimum. But it all works, even jawbreakers which should have no place in a rap song like 'You know I need that medication for my epilepsy now, or I run the risk of having a fit, you know I can't go without'.

It all reminds me of Seinfeld, as it completely revels in the minutiae of everyday life, laying it all out in earnest detail.

Very very appealing and well worth a listen.