The Streets - The Hardest Way to Make an Easy Living

Rating

single starsingle starsingle starsingle star

RIYL

Dizzee Rascal
Lotek Hi-Fi
Lady Sovereign
Madvillain

Tracklist

1. Pranging Out
2. War Of The Sexes
3. The Hardest Way To Make An Easy Living
4. All Goes Out The Window
5. Memento Mori
6. Can't Con An Honest John
7. When You Wasn't Famous
8. Never Went To Church
9. Hotel Expressionism
10. Two Nations
11. Fake Streets Hats

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In 2004, Mike Skinner released A Grand Don't Come For Free under his moniker, the Streets, and it was one of the most critically acclaimed albums of the year from major and independent publications. He already had mounds of street-cred following his debut 2002 LP Original Pirate Material.

Another two years later, and Skinner is in the midst of dealing with his newfound fame. Much like other musicians, the pressure for another quality album began taking its toll on Skinner, as interviews revealed he became heavily addicted to crack. Furthermore, his father died last year. Put those three conflicts together - fame, crack, and death – in a blender and the result would be the Streets newest effort The Hardest Way to Make an Easy Living.

Although it is a bit redundant for someone to do the "fame is so hard" album, the Streets do it better than most because, well, the Streets are better than most. Opening with "Pranging Out," Skinner displays one of the best beats he's ever made, with one of the catchiest hooks he’s ever written. The same goes for the album’s title track, which displays Skinner's typically sensational lyrics, topped with an ultra smooth beat, and exceptional melody. "Hotel Expressionism" is another track that suggests Skinner’s beat-making genius.

With the success of the Streets' previous albums, The Hardest Way to Make an Easy Living is certainly the album that could catapult the Streets towards household-name-fame. That being said, The Hardest Way is the Streets most accessible album to date, which works for and against the Streets. While this release will gain new listeners through its accessibility, it may alienate others for its seemingly counterproductive backpedaling; however, by becoming less jagged and more refined, the Streets take an already proven successful product and improve on it.

While many artists and bands stumble, fall, break a hip, and die on their most highly anticipated album, the Streets strut, point, and laugh at the fallen failures. Blending the best beats Skinner’s ever produced with some of his most personal and yet cynical lyrics, The Hardest Way to Make an Easy Living sure makes hard living a lot easier.

--Kamran Rouzpay

Author

Kamran
Last updated: 09/29/2009 08:54PM

Comments

Quanman
05/09/2006
02:08PM
2.5/5 for me. I've listened quite a few times since it first leak and I can say that I don't like it nearly as much as his previous work. Some of the songs are pretty strong, but others are just kind of "meh".

We live as we dream- alone.
~Joseph Conrad

daganjatribe
05/09/2006
05:59PM
Location
Austin
dizzee rascal is way better

The Daily Galaxy
An elephant that never forgets...to kill!

danus
05/09/2006
09:27PM
not as good as previous works but still a fine record. i would probably give it a 4/5.

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