Going Through Hell

Good advice from The Streets with the first single off their fifth and final studio album computers and blues:

If you’re going through hell – keep going

Even as a fan of Mike Skinner and The Streets, I have to admit that their last offering, Everything is Borrowed left me a little cold. It was light and airy without the grittiness of previous albums. And while the easy-going narrative rap was still there, the clever wordplay of their early days was missing. However, their previous work means that this new album certainly warrants a listen and I’m happy to report that if  this first release is anything to go by, then the witty repartee is back, as line after line from those motivational powerpoint slideshows your Auntie Hilda keeps sending you is nimbly delivered, urging the listener not to give up.
It could easily be a metaphor for listening to The Streets.

I’m further inspired by Skinner’s promise when discussing Everything is Borrowed was released, that:

The final Streets album (the fifth one) will be dark and futuristic. This could not be further from the album you’re about to hear, but it’s what is on my mind at the moment.

All of which sounds very promising.

computers and blues is released on 7th February 2011. Pre-orders here.