THE STREETS A GRAND DON'T COME FOR FREE ALBUM LOCKED ON, 679, WARNER RELEASE: MAY 5, 2004 REVIEW: MAY 26, 2004

Mike Skinner hasn’t got black clothes. He will not play the Wave Gotik Treffen. He definitely would prefer a night out clubbin’ n’ pubbin’ with his mates (at least as far as I know). And no, Mike Skinner doesn’t sample horror movies and doesn’t sound like anything remotely darkwave or industrial.
But: In all his 2stepping, nudges to the garage house scene and flirtations with hip hop, Mike Skinner is without doubt, in my book, a true singer/songwriter for the electronic age and generation. Just listen to his retelling of a night out in atmospheric – dare I say ambient? – "Blinded by the Lights" or be moved by his rejection story "Dry Your Eyes". Given, young Mr Skinner isn’t brilliant in every way, as is shown in "Fit but You Don’t Know It" – a spastic try to reclaim the glory of the brilliant debut album "Original Pirate Material".
But if you open your mind and turn down the TV – our version of the campfire – Mike Skinner can step in and be your own troubadour and teller of tales that relate to your life. He doesn’t have a guitar, makes his songs on a computer in his bedroom, but that’s kind of the idea for an electronic singer/songwriter – innit?

KALLE MALMSTEDT