My first experience of The Streets was on a chat show, where they performed ‘Fit And You Know It‘ from their latest album. I thought it was awful. Just a bunch of lads who couldn’t sing. What were people thinking? They’d been on the cover of NME, and gotten Single of The Week. I didn’t get it.

Recently, I heard another track from the same album – this time it was ‘Dry Your Eyes’. Now, this one I did like. Sort of. Not in the immediate way I’d previously fallen for Nic Armstrong or Franz Ferdinand, but I didn’t hate it. I certainly wasn’t going to buy the album on the strength of it. So, then I bought the album. Yes, I know what I just said, but I never claimed to be consistent; besides, I could always sell the album on to someone if I didn’t like it.

That was Sunday. Since buying it, I’ve listened to it 6 times so far. It’s just…really good.

I’ve even grown to like the aforementioned ‘Fit And You Know It‘. The album is a story; each song is it’s own chapter, and in this context the song works far better than it did as a standalone single. In fact, that’s really how you have to listen to the album – I’ve not yet found myself just wanting to play a single track, or identifying a favourite, even though each is more or less unique.

This album has really grown on me. Even if rap isn’t your thing (and it definitely isn’t mine), it’s still worth giving a chance to.