Mike Skinner’s music is like Marmite, you either love The Streets or you hate them. You can, however, hate them and over time learn to love them, which is exactly what happened to my opinion of The Streets, after listening to this new album Computers and Blues [spotify]. I must say that this is an excellent album, considering I was expecting the worst. Typically honest lyrics are displayed with exceptionally smart rhythm, flowing almost like a rap with well thought construction of phrases, that gives the vocal line its distinctive Streets sound as I’m sure you’ve heard before. Progessing his UK garage sound over the years, this album puts everything in a far more optimistic perspective than previous albums: Original Pirate Material and A Grand Don’t Come For Free. Looping pianos and synth-sounds provides its garage basis and mellow, feel-good choruses interject the speedy drum pad rhythms to come wondefully together in a highly emotional piece of work. It is undeniable that Mike Skinner’s work truly comes from the heart, and that is what music should be all about, not the money. So I applaud The Streets for their genuine, inspirational album, and for converting me to a future of enjoying their back catalogue, a hell of an album for The Streets to bow out on.