Everything Is Borrowed
by The Streets
  • Record Label: Vice
  • Release Date: Oct 7, 2008
User Score
6.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 18 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 12 out of 18
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 18
  3. Negative: 4 out of 18

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  1. LeahT.
    Oct 16, 2008
    9
    A Much better album than what some critics are saying...a few moments of sheer brilliance are here.
  2. ed
    Oct 8, 2008
    8
    With soaring positivity, subtle arrangements and Skinner's trademark simplistic honesty, this is marked improvement over THWTMAEL, but falls short of his first two classics.
  3. oldhollywood
    Oct 16, 2008
    8
    Eminem and his white-trash rhymes gave the white rapper a bad name. One got the feeling that Dr. Dre was just patronizing the dude from Detroit with all those circus beats and kiddie videos. Fortunately, acts like the Beastie Boys, House of Pain, and Bubba Sparxxx have established a solid enough foundation for white MCs that no one dud can bring down the whole lot. The man of the moment Eminem and his white-trash rhymes gave the white rapper a bad name. One got the feeling that Dr. Dre was just patronizing the dude from Detroit with all those circus beats and kiddie videos. Fortunately, acts like the Beastie Boys, House of Pain, and Bubba Sparxxx have established a solid enough foundation for white MCs that no one dud can bring down the whole lot. The man of the moment is Mike Skinner, aka The Streets. Emerging from the UK's grimecore scene with Dizzee Rascal, The Streets broke out by documenting the formerly mundane elements of everyday life behind garage beats and the Rn'B prowess of hook-singer Leo the Lion. While The Streets' debut in 2002 was a hit, their albums have gotten better with every turn, including a concept album in 2004's A Grand Don't Come for Free and 2006's decadent The Hardest Way to Make an Easy Living. Leo the Lion is no where to be found on Everything is Borrowed, as Skinner has assumed almost all of the responsibility for singing the hooks now. It's cool to hear Skinner's singing voice grow stronger from some pitchy moments on Grand to competent performances on new tracks like 'The Way of the Dodo'. But Skinner's bread and butter is his lyrics and there are some classic moments on Borrowed like 'Heaven for the Weather'. There's a lot more live instrumentation this time too, like some great reggae-tinged guitar on 'Never Give In'. Lily Allen shows up on the title track. 'The Sherry End' has a nice 70s retro feel like something from a lost episode of Charlie's Angels. Borrowed is The Streets' strongest production to date. A lot of reviews have cited the new album's introspective flavor. And while there are some sensitive songs like 'Strongest Person I Know', there are plenty of lyrical hints that The Streets haven't totally mellowed out.… Expand

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
63

Generally favorable reviews - based on 28 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 11 out of 28
  2. Mixed: 16 out of 28
  3. Negative: 1 out of 28
  1. musicOMH.com
    80
    More than anything it's just a relief to see this rare talent back from the brink, still, as always, one step ahead of the game
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  2. New Musical Express (NME)
    80
    Skinner has consolidated everything he’s done before, chucked in where his head’s at now and come up with an album that, while lacking the visceral thrill of ‘Original Pirate Material’, is a minor masterpiece that will mean a lot to a more select bunch of people.
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  3. Observer Music Monthly
    60
    It's a more varied listen but also markedly lesser in impact.
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