After my initial excitement about "The Hardest Way to Make an Easy Living," I'm feeling pretty leukwarm about the album.
A comment:
I liked it better when Mike Skinner had no money. I would rather hear about him wandering around being a regular guy-- getting drunk, and having breakfast with his friends and smoking dope on the couch shop rather than shopping, partying with celebrities in hotels, and screwing pop stars***.
Highlights:
The jazzy hand clap and synth loop in "Momento Mori." Very catchy, and a good use of a loose sloppy hip-hop that invades your bones.
"When You Wasn't Famous"-- Summer camp and whistle coupled with sing-songy whiny lyrics. It hasn't left my head since I first heard it.
"The Hardest Way to Make an Easy Living". Again, the whistle, but this time with a harpsichord, and just as catchy.
"Prangin' Out"-- It's a really heartfelt, anxious track.
"War of the Sexes"
Weaknesses
All of the melancholy songs that just don't seem all that genuine, such as "All Goes out the Window," (although the ending, sung in gospel style with 'fuck' as every other word is priceless if tounge-in-cheek) "Never Went to Church," and "Two Nations". For "Two Nations," the
back story is interesting, but the actual song is annoying.
I want to shoot Mike Skinner for making "Can't Con an Honest John." The beats are original, but the stupid story is super annoying, and the little folky "never con an honest john" is as good as a pencil in the eye. Plus, the story-- is orignial? Not really.
Overall-- superb beats, fun and interesting lyrics, but it doesn't even hold a candle to the first two albums.
***But really, I want to know who the pop star is. Any guesses? I've spent a lot of time trying to figure it out. Anyone know?