Why I Love A Grand Don't Come For Free

Concept albums are not something invented by Mike Skinner, neither are Rap concept albums, but it's hard to think of another that is so much about the normal life of people in the same way that 2004's A Grand Don't Come For Free is. Concept albums are generally grand stories about death, The Black Parade, or futuristic epics, 2112, very rarely do they start with trying to return a DVD and end with shrinking jeans in a washing machine. Mike Skinner manages to deadpan his way through 50 minutes of the mundanity of life in the most captivating way possible.

The Sophomore from the Streets seems a lot smaller-scale than 'Original Pirate Material' until you realise how many different moods and types of day Skinner manages to perfectly capture as well as crafting a story that is relatable and realistic yet still interesting enough to actually care about. 'A Grand...' manages to toe the line between upbeat and anthemic and sincere and introspective with ease, swinging from one to the other from track to track while still managing to both perfectly.

Skinner immediately sets the album apart from its peers with the blaring horns of 'It Was Supposed To Be So Easy' as if he's announcing himself, showing off the grandeur of the concept album, backed by the large first bar. But the pretenses of grandeur are quickly shown to be just that as he delves into the daily chores and setting up the story of the lost 1000 quid. The mix of pomp and checque-cashing gives is in stark comparison to the smaller-scale musicality of tracks that arguably contain more poignant lyrical content like the followup of 'Could Well Be In', one of Skinner's more touching cuts on the record, but not the only one. Mellow beats and a lazy delivery of soppy lines can make the track seem like an initial filler, but after a couple of listens it becomes evident that it's not as boring as it initially seems and is instead a genuine song about falling in love and letting your guard down, something not often seen from the kind of persona Skinner puts across in his 'laddier' tracks.

The album continues the up-and-down trend in terms of energy by launching into 'Not Addicted', one of the less lyrically interesting cuts on the album but one that manages to keep the energy going and establish the contrast between the loud and 'laddish' tracks and the softer ones. However this isn't the only purpose of the louder more upbeat tracks, 'Fit But You Know It' is probably the easiest song from the Streets discography and likely their most well-known one for a good reason, it's a loud and catchy track that's easy to relate to. 'Such A Twat' is one of the songs on the record that really shows its age with references to dodgy phone signal feeling a bit outdated by 2020 but still works simply because of the way it fits into the story and feel of the album.

However, it's the slower and more emotional cuts on the album which really make it stand out and are generally speaking the best songs on the record. 'Wouldn't Have It Any Other Way' is another soppy love song about Skinner finding himself settled into a relationship that is one of the more forgettable tracks on the album but plays an important part in the flow of it. The real core of the album come from the trio of 'Blinded By The Lights', 'Dry Your Eyes' and 'Empty Cans', with the former being a muggy and confusing account of a drugged-up night in a club. The song manages to create the perfect blend of a good night in a club with the confusion of MDMA-fuelled dancing and the loneliness of not finding your mates all the while having perfect flow and memorable beats. 'Dry Your Eyes' somehow tries to almost tackle the idea of men not expressing their feelings by talking about the pain after a breakup... whilst also telling them to hide it, despite the slightly confusing message it comes off as a genuine expression of sadness and pain at the end of a breakup.

The closing track on the album is perhaps one of the best closers on any record, 'Empty Cans' tracks the thoughts of Skinner at the end of his wit and plays the scenario out first leading to a fight and a still bust TV. The song's trackback features subtle but effective instrumental changes which perfectly reflect his changing mental state and lead to him finding the titular £1000. This is Skinner at his most creative and artistic and simply is a great way to bring a cohesive concept album to a close, all the while being musically intricate and having some great bars spread throughout, grounding it solidly on earth with the final line of 'My jeans felt a bit tight, think I washed them too high'.

The main reason I Love 'A Grand Don't Come For Free' is just the feeling it creates that shit happens and you've just got to deal with it.

Favourite songs: It Was Supposed To Be So Easy, Blinded By The Lights, Dry Your Eyes
Least favourite songs: Not Addicted, Such A Twat

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