Grime

1. Stargate 92 - MarkOne

2. Raindance - MarkOne

3. Interference - MarkOne

4. Too Hard - MarkOne

5. Pump Up the Jam - Plasticman

6. Camel Ride - Plasticman

7. Industrial Graft - Plasticman

8. Music - Plasticman

9. Dub Weapon - Slaughter Mob

10. Fireweaver - Slaughter Mob

11. Creeky Door - Slaughter Mob

12. Black Hole - Slaughter Mob

Grime,Various Artists,Rephlex,Electronic Collections,Pop,V/a Compilations

Average customer rating: ugh unbelievable It's ok Sounds Okay To Me LOVE IT

Public Warning Lady Sovereign Manufacturer: Def Jam ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music Pop Rap | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Alright, Still The Sweet Escape The Dutchess Back to Black Alright, Still ASIN: B000IFRQAY Release Date: 2006-10-31

Tracks:

1. 9 to 5
2. Gatheration
3. Random
4. Public Warning
5. Love Me Or Hate Me
6. My England
7. Tango
8. A Little Bit Of Shhh
9. Hoodie
10. Those Were The Days
11. Blah Blah
12. Fiddle With The Volume
13. Love Me Or Hate Me Remix - Missy Elliot

Amazon.com

More Eminem than Missy Elliot, this diminutive U.K. rapper shows exactly how threatening a small woman with a big mouth can be. Her spiky collision of punk rock attitude and pop appeal is a revelation and her self-awareness is oddly shocking, but rather endearing, as the 5-foot-1 rapper asserts, "I'm the biggest midget in the fame." Wicked, irreverent, smart, and full of self-depreciating humor, this queen of grime rap pillages her autobiography on "Those Were the Days," deconstructs nationalism on "My England," raids Mother Goose on "Public Warning," and then drops a gauntlet with a loud clattering sound, making listeners laugh out loud with the snotty, but laughable challenge of "Love Me or Hate Me." But mostly she keeps things moving, throwing off sparks and bon mots with her mad, furious, in-your-face flow, while adding a bit of glam and new wave to the electro hip-hop beats. She might be small, but her future as the voice of the fashionably disaffected is huge. --Jaan Uhelszki

Customer Reviews:

ugh.......2007-06-14

I liked the single, so got the CD. Oops.

unbelievable.......2007-06-12

I just went to the Gwen stefani and akon concert with sov opening. all i can say is that being a huge fan of gwen and really enjoying akon's work i really wasn't thrilled to see that sov was opening beings that i had never really heard any of her music, but by the end of her show i knew there was no way akon nor gwen had a chance of grabbing my attention as much as sov. if you get a chance see her live you won't regret it.

It's ok.......2007-06-03

She is good, but she must emprove herself... Eminem's level is still too far

Sounds Okay To Me.......2007-06-02

It's hard to find someone in the rap/hip hop world today I like. MIA is good and I've heard a few of her offerings and like it, and there's Lady Sovereign as far as the females. I've heard her compared to Eminem or a female version, but I really don't like Eminem, so I guess I'll take those peoples word for it on that one. I'm normally into old school rap and hip hop from the 80's, all the genre's of it from the beginnings of the late 70's early 80's through the Gangsta Rap of the late 80's into early 90's. Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre might have been the last ones I really got into let's put it that way.

This is a really fun CD to listen to, it's bratty, witty, and has some good beats I think, it may not be ground breaking; but it's for lack of a better term a Party CD in my opinion, she's very direct and has some fight in her, I don't know where she goes from here, but this is a nice start. I find myself listening to the first 4 or 5 songs at least once a day and they always make me smile and bob my head, so that's good enough for me, since there's not much out there that does that these days.

LOVE IT.......2007-05-08

I love love LOVE this CD. I thought I was partaking in something different and interesting, but I really didn't expect to be this smitten with a rap sound. Lady Sov is absolutely wonderful, and I adore the remix with Missy Elliot, who I don't normally like. Very good buy.

Average customer rating: Awesome Back to business "Tonight I may condone it" Beautiful! "STAR" It's Showtime

Grime, Silk & Thunder Ultra Naté Manufacturer: Tommy Boy ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music House | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music Similar Items: I Want Your Love-the Remix Ep Limited Pressing Destination Moon Light at the End of the World The Makeover I Could Fall in Love with You ASIN: B000OQDUQ6 Release Date: 2007-06-05

Tracks:

1. Loosely Based On
2. Love's The Only Drug
3. Freak On
4. Give It All You Got
5. Scandal
6. Automatic
7. Slow Grind
8. Falling
9. Getaway
10. Feel Love
11. Lethal Shot
12. Star (It's Showtime)
13. This House
14. It's Over Now

Customer Reviews:

Awesome.......2007-07-19

Ultra Nate is back and better than ever! I'm lovin' the look, the feel of this album and the positive lyrical vibe she'giving. What else can I say? Good soulful dance club music. She's grown so much. She needs broader exposure in the states.

Back to business.......2007-07-12

After a lengthy absence from the recording scene Ultra Nate is back with a top notch album packed with everything that she does so well.

"Tonight I may condone it".......2007-07-02

Only her fifth album in a 17-year career, Baltimore's Ultra Naté has never been in a hurry to put out material, and especially not clichéd R&B or by-the-numbers dance music (even if her upcoming high-octane cover of the Pointer Sisters' Automatic may have the whiff of an album-promoting sop to the mainstream about it, it's still a lot of fun - especially its campy, soft-porn video. But then I live in Europe, where censorship tends to concentrate more on violence).

I'm a bit biased, as Ultra has, for me, the most pleasing vocal on earth and I'd probably have snapped up each new release if they'd featured her singing the phonebook, or even Rod Stewart-style sell-out schmaltzfests, but I'd say Grime, Silk, Thunder is a welcome addition to her solid, high-quality output to date.

One thing you can say about this smokily-voiced chanteuse is that she's never been afraid to plow her own furrow, tackling a variety of musical styles, and maybe this is why so many impressively talented musicians have queued up to work with her over the years (D-Influence, Stonebridge, Nellee Hooper, Blaze, Dajae, Full Intention, Eric Kupper, Mood II Swing, N'Dea Davenport, etc etc).

I'd heard this was to be Ultra's "dancefloor album" (in the same way Madonna's last effort was hers), but, in common with each release from One Woman's Insanity onwards, she wraps her ever-maturing voice around a number of different moods - from the Philly-sounding Getaway (soaring guest vocals from Dajae) to Giorgio Moroder-style retro-disco in Love's the Only Drug. But her always compelling phrasing makes the slower, jazzy Feel Love the stand-out track for me, and its cleverly simple, positive existential lyric hooks you in. If you've heard club remixes by the likes of Liquid People, they don't really compare to the much deeper original featured here - it hits the kind of heights I'd hoped for from MAW's Nuyorican Soul project, but - like I said - DEEPER. Not so sure about the Sly and Robbie-style toasting on Slow Grind, but at least she tries it out. Star (It's Showtime) and Lethal Shot aren't really working for me so far, either, but maybe they'll grow on me, as it sometimes takes me a while to "get" Ultra's songs. But with the right remixes, Star could be massive, alright.

So, Ultra's not resting on her laurels (and I can't wait to hear her perfrom live again, next time she's in London), but she does tip a nod to her initial club hits, with a terrific re-working of early single Scandal, which stays true to the spirit of the Basement Boys-produced original, as well as a souped-up, extended cover of her underground deep house smash It's Over Now.

In fact, the inclusion of these, along with Automatic, last year's club hit Love's The Only Drug and dancefloor anthem Freak On may make some fans feel over-familiar with it already, but hopefully it'll help her notch up some well-deserved sales.

Beautiful!.......2007-06-24

Beautiful, Dancy, Sexy, Fresh, Powerful, Modern, Club-Hopping...it's what comes to mind when I play Ultra Nate's new album. Her music is fabulous and fills my room with perfect summer tunes. My ipod is pumping out the entire album, as well as my stereo at home. Got the CD in the mail a couple days ago and I must say it's just super. UN's voice is powerful and sexy. The songs have totally underestimated my expectations of the album meaning I was pleasantly surprised, track after track. There isn't one song that doesn't appeal to me.

My friend told me that the album contains lots of different styles of music, but, to me, it's mostly club-style and/or lounge. Speaking of lounge, track 1 is a definite lounge/ambient number. A perfect opener to a perfect album. The photos of UN are divine and totally decorate the booklet and packaging artwork. At first, I didn't like the front cover image cos it's very photoshopped, meaning it looks too screened and soft, as if it's not really a photo of her at all. Looks more like an airbrushed image because of the screened softness.

UN's voice reminds me very much of Simone Denny (Love Inc.) and a little bit of Kristine W. as well. I haven't heard anything of UN since buying her "Situation Critical" album in 1999 from a second hand music shop in some bargain bin. I never really cared for her music, other than her big 1998 hit "FREE". But now I truly love both that and this album very much and appreciate her big time. Track # 6 is a cover tune of 80's pop trio "The Pointer Sisters" classic hit "Automatic". Rearragned with UN's powerful voice and modern-day techno beats/sounds, I can't help but fall in love with the song all over again.

A true 2007 Clubfloor toe-tapping album, Grime/Silk/Thunder is surely going to be a winner when it's released here in our Canadian music stores. I bought my copy online as an import cos I sure as heck wasn't going to wait!
Tracklisting:
01- Loosely Based On
02- Love's the Only Drug
03- Freak On
04- Give It All You Got (Featuring Chris Willis)
05- Scandal
06- Automatic
07- Slow Grind
08- Falling
09- Getaway (Featuring Dajae)
10- Feel Love
11- Lethal Shot
12- Star (It's Showtime)
13- This House
14- It's Over Now
Total Playing Time: 72:36

"STAR" It's Showtime.......2007-06-10

Ultra Nate is one of the best dance artist around....Who stays true to her dance roots. Grime, Silk & Thunder will not disapoint true dance fans. Also, Ms. Nate can carry a tune. I'm hoping more dance artist will follow her lead. We need more diversity in music. Support Ultra Nate and dance music and Feel Love. This cd rates more than 5 stars.

Average customer rating: Jammin As VIBE Magazine said, "Not on THESE streets" ...dissapointed Guys talking over a beat, great! All right

The Hardest Way to Make an Easy Living The Streets Manufacturer: Vice/Atlantic ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music Electronica | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music Britain | British Isles | Europe | International | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rap | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music Similar Items: At War with the Mystics Show Your Bones Fishscale Broken Boy Soldiers The Information ASIN: B000EQ46KA Release Date: 2006-04-25

Tracks:

1. Pranging Out
2. War Of The Sexes
3. The Hardest Way To Make An Easy Living
4. All Goes Out The Window
5. Memento Mori
6. Can't Con An Honest John
7. When You Wasn't Famous
8. Never Went To Church
9. Hotel Expressionism
10. Two Nations
11. Fake Streets Hats

Amazon.com

On the Streets' third album, the conceit is that Mike Skinner's now a famous guy (and he indeed is in the UK--as he puts it, "I've sold 3 million and you've never heard of me"). So, instead of dissecting the stereotypes and prejudices of an average Joe, Skinner turns his keen eye for detail on himself, to his new life of easy drugs and easier girls, of trashing hotel rooms, and being bummed out when your record label does promotional stuff without telling you about it first. Sonically it's more polished and a tad faster, though the music's still stripped-down and tough, propelled by loud synth lines and minimal drums. Skinner's flow remains original and wonderfully sing-songy. And while it's cool to see him actually write about his current life instead of pretending he's still "street," the subject matter's a touch too similar to an anorexic debutante's diary entry to make for very compelling hip-hop. When he asks "How the hell am I supposed to be able to do a line in front of complete strangers/When I know they've all got camera[phone]s?," it's definitely tough to care too much, no matter how fun the music is. --Mike McGonigal

Album Description

The new Streets album The Hardest Way To Make An Easy Living, out April 25th, is a completely autobiographical record that covers everything that has happened to Mike over the past few years since he's become a well known figure in the UK. There's love, loss, scandal, violence, sex, drugs and a whole load of bad behavior and regret. This true story begins with the first single, "When You Wasn't Famous."

Customer Reviews:

Jammin.......2007-04-05

My first The Streets album. Funny, edgy, funky, poignant, cool, warm. Word art and music blended to taste. My taste.

As VIBE Magazine said, "Not on THESE streets".......2006-11-10

A few years ago, there was an explosion of sorts concerning British artists broadening rap, like Dizzee Rascal and the Streets. I really couldn't get into it though; the thing that bothered me about Mike Skinner (yes, people, the Streets refers to ONE person) is that his material didn't sound like rap to me; it sounded more like spoken word. But he does sound more like a rapper on his latest offering, The Hardest Way to Make an Easy Living.

But even though the production is on point, the songs as a whole aren't that accessible. And I'm not saying that because Mike's thick accent can make things incomprehensible to the average listener (although there's some truth to that; "War of the Sexes", anyone?); it's that most of the time I really don't understand what in the world he's talking about, which is especially the case with the album's opener, "Prangin Out".

The few times where I COULD figure out what was going on, I wasn't too impressed. "Fake Streets Hats" has Mike complaining about supposedly pirated Streets merchandise (I say "supposedly" because it turns out that Mike's label distributed the hats), and "When You Wasn't Famous" is a been-there-done-that comparison of his private and public life. Speaking of that song, when Mike and friends try to sing the chorus sometimes, it's pretty nerve-racking (see "Two Nations").

I really think Mike could have done a better job than this; it almost feels like he just wanted to put SOMEthing out because now that Lady Sovereign is getting some mainstream love, he's like, "Hey, remember ME?" Let's hope he perfects his craft; maybe then it won't be so hard to make an easy living.

Anthony Rupert

...dissapointed.......2006-10-21

The first two albums The Streets put out blew me away. Original Pirate Material was fresh and abstract while A Grand Don't Come For Free was full of heart-felt tracks that I couldn't help but love. It seems with this album, Mike Skinner got lazy. The music, while catchy, is hardly original and the lyrics... aren't even in the same league as the first two albums. When You Wasn't Famous, the first single is just alright. I actually prefer the Professor Green remix. This album is mostly filler, with a few good tracks like Never Went To Church. Overall, I do like this album, it just doesn't compare to the first two.

Guys talking over a beat, great!.......2006-08-13

This is a joke right?! I honestly thought this group was a hiphop parody group at first because I figured nobody could be that bad on purpose. These British rappers are hiliarous, they basically talk over a beat and it doesn't even rhyme half the time. I got given this cd for free and I still want some money back!

All right.......2006-06-11

It's the third chapter for Mike Skinner, the biggest pop star from the UK. Almost every album has been a number one if I remember right. The last album was a concept album. This album is more about the spoils of success. It's less unfocused than the previous two. "War of The Sexes" reminds me of some of the songs on the first album. Some immediate favorites are "When You Wasn't Famous" and "Hotel Expressionism." The first is about the pitfalls of become a well known act. The second is about? Not sure. Maybe about destroying hotels? "Never Went To Church" explores to two great European narcotics: alcohol and Christianity. It has a tune that is like "Let It Be" by the Beatles. We always need a record to put on and smoke weed to. Here it is! The summer looks good.

Average customer rating: A Real Musical Treat Funny, fresh, different Excellent CD transcends genre boundaries Ain't that the truth OK AMERICANS, TIME TO WAKE UP

A Grand Don't Come for Free The Streets Manufacturer: Vice/Atlantic ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music Electronica | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music House | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music Pop Rap | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Blinded by the Lights LCD Soundsystem Public Warning Is This It She Wants Revenge ASIN: B0001XARU4 Release Date: 2004-05-18

Tracks:

1. It Was Supposed To Be So Easy
2. Could Well Be In
3. Not Addicted
4. Blinded By The Light
5. I Wouldn't Have It Any Other Way
6. Get Out Of My House
7. Fit But You Know It
8. Such A Twat
9. What Is He Thinking
10. Dry Your Eyes
11. Empty Cans

Amazon.com

With beats that mix hip-hop, R&B, and UK garage, A Grand Don't Come For Free, like its impressive predecessor Original Pirate Material (2002), transforms the everyday and the mundane into the terms of an epic. British rapper Mike Skinner captures the simple details of a simple existence that inhabits the lower levels of the middle class. But whereas Original Pirate Material was more about everyday life on the streets, this follow-up is more about everyday life in the flat--mom's kitchen, my mate's living room, my girl's couch. The Streets has fallen in love, and his raps narrate the adventures and misadventures of this romance. In all, it is a concept album that places greater emphasis on storytelling rather than on the music, which is often spare with little or no enhancements. With some songs expressing the beauty of love and others expressing the pleasures of drugs, the Streets is still holding it down for the UK. --Charles Mudede

Album Description

Mike Skinner, the musical mastermind behind The Streets, once again melds hip-hop, dub, ska, UK garage beats, and his unique rhyme style to deliver a sound like nothing else. Instead of the snapshot imagery of the last album, "Original Pirate Material", "A Grand..." is one continuous narrative, following Skinner through a day of victories, defeats, and battles.

Customer Reviews:

A Real Musical Treat.......2007-06-27

This work is original and very good. I recommend it to anyone interested in unique talents like Streets. I have noticed a trend with English groups that represent a poetic sense coupled with a feel for Anglo hiphop.
Dry your eyes mate!

Funny, fresh, different.......2007-04-05

I like The Hardest Way album even better but A Grand is very good, too. Some songs made me laugh out loud and still I can't help but grin when I hear them. I appreciate it when an artist has a unique way of looking at everyday experiences and Mike certainly does that.

Excellent CD transcends genre boundaries .......2007-01-24

The Streets, effectively rapper Mike Skinner's vehicle, come into their own on "A Grand Don't Come for Free". While Skinner's debut, "Original Pirate Material", got by on unique beats and Skinner's unusual delivery, "A Grand Don't Come For Free" works just as well on a song-by-song basis, but is also a surprisingly cohesive and moving concept album about relationships and friendship. The album tells the story of the beginning and end of a relationship, matched thematically by the loss and search for a thousand pounds. Sound dull?

Quite simply, it isn't. Skinner's take on the mundane is both familiar and insightful. Highlights abound, from the humorous and catchy "Could Well Be In" to the heartbreaking (and only single) "Dry Your Eyes". Trying to characterize Skinner in a particular genre (hip-hop, garage, etc.) is useless - no CD in 2004 was as funny, melodic, or moving as "A Grand Don't Come for Free". No music lover should miss it.

Ain't that the truth.......2006-12-21

Some of my friends really like it, some really don't. Good stories in the songs. I like it.

OK AMERICANS, TIME TO WAKE UP.......2006-11-21

Reading Americans reviews of brittish albums really gets on my nerves. This is a great album and Americans need to understand one thing about Mike Skinner : HE'S NOT A RAPPER, so please stop saying he can't rap. Everybody on this side of the sea know that. And why do ye dismiss albums because ye find it hard to understand the accent? Thats just plain ignorance. Time for Americans to open their minds. I'm Irish and we have no trouble understanding any accent, whether it be brittish or american, but Americans seen to always have a hard time understanding people that are not american, I bet most americans wouldn't have a clue what I'm sayin if they heard me speak, I'm from Limerick in Ireland and any american that we meet we have to slow down our accent like we're talking to somebody that speaks a different language or a child.

Average customer rating: original.. that's for sure instantly a favorite!!!! Classic I don't even listen to rap and I still give it 4 stars A very unique album

Original Pirate Material The Streets Manufacturer: Vice/Atlantic ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music Electronica | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music House | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music Pop Rap | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Blinded by the Lights LCD Soundsystem Public Warning Game Theory Arular ASIN: B00006L88F Release Date: 2002-10-22

Tracks:

1. Turn the Page
2. Has It Come to This?
3. Let's Push Things Forward
4. Sharp darts
5. Same Old Thing
6. Geezers Need Excitement
7. It's Too Late
8. Too Much Brandy
9. Don't Mug Yourself
10. Who Got the Funk?
11. The Irony of It All
12. Weak Becomes Heroes
13. Who Dares Wins
14. Stay Positive

Amazon.com

In a thrilling UK Garage scene, blighted only by a reliance on drippy soul cliché and tiresome braggadocio, The Streets' eminently quotable Mike Skinner may just be the voice to take it to the next level with Original Pirate Material. This debut is a staggeringly eloquent and fearlessly honest snapshot of gritty street-level existence, as experienced by an ordinary bloke. At first listen, the Birmingham-born Skinner's cheeky cockney affectations grate slightly. But for every line that makes you squirm, there are 20 that drop your jaw. "Has It Come to This?" is "A day in the life of a geezer," a seductive encapsulation of London lifestyle, presented raw as a bootleg, but bulging with sharp wit and feverish detail. "Stay Positive" weaves a fearful tale of heroin addiction, while "The Irony of It All" makes a beguiling case for legalization, presenting a fictional exchange between a beered-up, self-righteous lager lout and a fey student weed enthusiast. Original Pirate Material is a milestone, the real voice of British youth set down on record. Don't miss it. --Louis Pattison

Album Description

2002 debut is enhanced with the videos of 'Weak Become Heroes' and 'Let's Push Things Forward'. The album is nominated for this year's Mercury Prize, alongside luminaries David Bowie and Doves and was certified Gold in the UK. Vice.

Customer Reviews:

original.. that's for sure.......2006-10-24

let's get one thing clear.. this is not rap. i don't really know how to classify it, but it's not rap. mike skinner rhymes over unique beats and to be honest, it sounds good. his rhymes are abstract and takes you all over the place. he talks about birds, geezers, clubs, and drugs among many things, but does so in a way i've never heard before. this album sounds amazing considering he recorded it in his bedroom. if you're looking for something new and an english accent doesn't bother you, check out the streets! just as good as this album is The Street's follow-up, A Grand Don't Come For Free.

tracks worth checking out:
Turn The Page (best opening song on any album i've ever heard)
Too Much Brandy
Don't Mug Yourself
It's Too Late
Irony Of It All (weed vs. alchohol)
Stay Positive (a description of himself during a heroine addiction)

instantly a favorite!!!!.......2006-06-13

for whatever reasons i panned his latest album....mike skinner, by virtue of this debut album> enters genius-status...hall-of-famer and all in 4 listens of my first day ever hearing this obvious classic.
a heady blend of comic one-off, day-to-day musings, and some very basic earthy (am i allowed to say?) wisdom......this thing grabs you from beginning to end and never lets go.
every track rocks unique and sneeky brilliant....even sexy at times...bare yet clever and the words flow non-stop effortlessness without the pomp and bragadassiho of so much rap.
it's hard to believe i enjoyed a true hip-hop album as much as this.
this one's gonna rock my senses for some time to come.
an absolute must for any collection of what is cool and modern...even if you're not.
: )

mcc>

Classic.......2005-11-02

Ok here's the scoop. Mike Skinner has done something wonderful to the UK Garage scene. He has dropped an album that is appealing to absolutely everyone who can get their hands on it. It doesn't matter where you are in the world, your feeling his stuff, this man is the truth!!
'Turn the Page' starts the album off with a bang, and it just gets better from there. The next 2 songs, 'Has It Come To This?' and 'Let's Push Things Forward' deliver a kind of laid back attitude to rapping, almost so that the songs sound like spoken words. The rest of the album is like this also, but it truly does fit well. 'It's Too Late' and 'Weak Become Heroes' are the kind of tracks that draw emotion from deep inside the listener, whether they are liking the music or not, and 'Stay Positive' delivers advice on life and how to deal with it. The only porr track is 'Sharp Darts', which is barely 2 minutes, which doesn't detract from the album at all. Incredible.
Definitely buy this CD, throw money at Mike Skinner for creating such brilliane!

I don't even listen to rap and I still give it 4 stars.......2005-10-29

My buddy had played me a couple of tracks from this CD a year or two ago, and it had stayed with me ever since. So I finally sought out this album.

There must be something about the American rap "style" that is an instant turn-off; maybe it's all the bling-in-your-face attitude. Ugh. But the poetic eloquence here--the meaning behind these words--seems somehow to hit home.

"Turn the page" is freakin brilliant, no matter what you call it; rap, poetry, music, whatever.

I'm not saying every track is a masterpiece, but when something is obviously special it deserves special attenton.

A very unique album.......2005-09-28

While generally not a fan of hip hop and dance music, every now and then an album comes along which hits the spot for me. This was another album I took a risk with purchasing, and it certainly paid off.

There's nothing else in my CD collection like this album (erm, ok maybe The Streets' 2nd album). Music aside, Mike Skinner is a fantastic lyricist and superb storyteller. You can't help but smile while listening to this album. The irony of it all is a fantastic song that needs to be heard by anyone who considers themselves a music fan.

Let's push things forward, indeed.

Average customer rating: Late American review SOUNDS LIKE IF THE NEPTUNES WERE ENGLISH!!! UK classic It's not the accent, it's the lyrics (...and beats). Americans need to open their minds

Boy in da Corner Dizzee Rascal Manufacturer: Matador Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music Pop Rap | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Treddin' on Thin Ice Public Warning Arular Home Sweet Home Fantastic Damage ASIN: B00015HV4C Release Date: 2004-01-20

Tracks:

1. Sittin' Here
2. Stop Dat
3. I Luv U
4. Brand New Day
5. 2 Far (Feat. Wiley)
6. Fix Up, Look Sharp
7. Cut 'Em Off
8. Hold Ya Mouf' (Feat. God's Gift)
9. Round We Go
10. Jus' A Rascal
11. Wot U On?
12. Jezebel
13. Seems 2 Be
14. Live O
15. Do It!

Amazon.com

Dizzee Rascal is the latest Brit to try to land on America's rap shores after countless predecessors have failed. Rascal boasts a frenetic verbal presence--the Cockney equivalent to Busta Rhymes--and his first single, "Fix Up, Look Sharp," is as good as you could want: old-school drum breaks meet futuristic flows with a memorable, holler-if-you-hear-me hook. What Rascal has going against him is the fact that he sounds, well, British, and American audiences seem to like their flows homegrown, not imported. Moreover, with pulsing, electro bumps dominating most of the album, the sound is closer to Tricky's than Trick Daddy's. That said, Boy in Da Corner offers boundless energy and Rascal's enthusiasm is palpable. "Jus' a Rascal" is crunked out enough to make Lil Jon proud while "Live O" moves smoothly and steadily with a submarine's deadly grace. Though Rascal won't knock 50 Cent off the charts anytime soon, his debut loudly proclaims that rap's geopolitics may be shifting. --Oliver Wang

Album Description

Young, angry, articulate, and frighteningly talented, 18-year old Dizzee Rascal is the voice of a new generation. Alongside Wiley and his fellow Roll Deep Entourage members, East London's Dizzee was propelled to underground fame. His record is Spin's #12 Album Of The Year, it went gold in the UK, and it won the prestigious Mercury Prize in 2003. This domestic release contains one bonus track plus the first two videos.

Customer Reviews:

Late American review.......2007-06-13

I'm an American chick and I LOVE Boy in da corner, but it wasn't always that way. When I first got the album and popped it in my CD player, I spat it right out, I couldn't understand it AT ALL. I put it on my shelf for like 6 months, then I went back to it because I was feeling guilty for have buying it and not really listening. I tried again, went through the tracks, still no spark, until I got to "Round We Go" is was the only track I could understand (accent wise) and then something clicked, it grew on me, then I played it like 3 times on repeat. Once I caught the bug I went to the next track "Jus a Rascal" loved that shit, and then end up listening to the whole thing. The funniest things that now "round we go" is my least favorite song. I tend like to hard ones like "Stop Dat" "Hold ya Mouf" and "Fix up Look Sharp". All the tracks are gems. *listening to "Cut em off" now*

I guess I had to train myself into understanding his accent, then I learned to appreciate the production/beats especially no rapper I've ever heard had the sound. Needless to say, this album is definitely one of my favorites of all time, maybe top 10, that's how much I love it and him.

I really thought after Dizzee there was going to be some sort of British Hip Hop invasion, but I guess I was wrong. Most of the main stream US Hip Hop fans are really one dimensional, aren't opened minded and like things that are easy too listen to. Dizzee in my opinion is better a lyricist than any US rapper at this moment, even Jay (gag) Z. I'm not giving up on the dream of some new hip hop imports, and I hope he has a new chance with "Maths and English" to spark change in American urban music, because we need help badly. I haven't heard the radio in over a year and this album is still in heavy rotation in my stereo.

I got the chance to see Dizzee in the US and his live show was just as good as the album. I got to meet afterwards, he was real cool and is all about his music, which I love.

If you don't like this album, just try it again, listen with new ears. Hear the innovation, the talent, the rhymes, and his stories they are worth listening to. I now find myself understanding every word he says even rapping along and understanding the slang, so...

SOUNDS LIKE IF THE NEPTUNES WERE ENGLISH!!!.......2007-06-03

I love Dizze Rascal. I think his sound is great, and if he continues on the path he is on, he could be big and this sound of music will become worldwide. Fave songs- I luv u (underrated; this should have gotten the recognition like a Jay-Z or 50 cent song would), Jezebel Jus a rascal, Brand new day. I think this music is underrated, hopefully it won't be for long!

UK classic.......2007-03-22

I agree to some extent with the Americans saying they can't feel the accent. It's true, you either dig it or not. Accent can be so out there that you just ignore the music. I decided to give Dizzee a second chance. For me it's mostly about the beats and boy there are some exceptional ones on this album. Experimental, raw, gritty, funky you name it. Tracks like Do it, I luv U and Fix up Look Sharp are pure original and like no one ever done before. This album is for all the people that said European hip-hop didn't have it's own face. Like Dizzee proves England amongs others is the place where unique hip-hop comes from. Give this album a second chance.

It's not the accent, it's the lyrics (...and beats)........2006-11-03

I have no problem listening to an MC with an accent. It's just that, well, after you have this album for a while and the novelty wears off, and you listen more closely, there just isn't much there.

At first, I would put it on and it was these cool electronica-influenced beats and a fast flow that I couldn't really understand, but that didn't matter much.

Until I actually listened to some of these lyrics.

1. "dizzy rascal come down like snow/
with freezing cold flows like moscow/
dumb hoe, get me upset, guns blow/
bitch, you're not ready for skid row"

2. "I've met bad boys from every post code/
You could never talk to me about gold/
Stop dreaming, I'm your worst nightmare/
I'm Freddie kruger, make the luger explode"

3. "Now there you go again talking like a star/
Like I can't find out where you park/
Kick off your door, I ain't got a 4-4, bruh/
Ill have to settle for a long metal bar"

A rapper like MF Doom might be able to pull off lyrics like these, over a good Madlib beat and with his patented style and sense of irony, but in the hands of Dizzee Rascal over top of these cheap, brittle, annoying, thrown together beats, they fall flat.

Americans need to open their minds.......2006-10-21

I said I'd read some of the reviews for this classic album and see what America thought of it. I must say alot of these reviews really really pissed me off, giving an album 1 star just because they just find it too hard to understand!!? Thats just straight up ignorant. I'm from Ireland and I have no problem understanding it, nor do my friends. Come to think of it, neither does my cousin in Austrailia who happens to own a rap label in melbourne, one of the biggest in Australia. Brittish rap is very big in Ireland, and Irish hip hop is on the come up in a major way. I'd love to hear what the Americans have to say about Irish hip hop. Would they dismiss it coz they don't understand it? Or would they dismiss it believing that all Irish people are stupid alcoholics that love to fight? Irish people are not stupid, we're not all alcoholics and we don't all fight for the craic of it. Thats a stupid stereotype and Americans need to wake up to that and open their small minds. I'm speaking of course to the people who do know what Ireland is really like, and the Irish-Americans (NOT THE MILLIONS WHO CLAIM TO BE OF IRISH DESCENT). And before people reply to this, I am a huge hip hop fan. I own almost 1000 hip hop albums, from Run DMC to KRS ONE. My faves are wu tang and the boot camp clik ( enter the 36 chambers, liquid swords, cuban linx, enta da stage, da shinin etc.) So I do know what I'm talking about

Average customer rating:

Maths and English Dizzee Rascal Manufacturer: Wea ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music Britain | British Isles | Europe | International | Styles | Music General | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music Pop Rap | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Dance & DJ | Imports | Stores | Music Similar Items: Back to Black Icky Thump Volta Easy Tiger ASIN: B000PC1LBK Release Date: 2007-06-25

Tracks:

1. World Outside
2. Pussly'ole (Old Skool)
3. Sirens
4. Where's Da G's
5. Paranoid
6. Suck My Dick
7. Flex
8. Da Feelin'
9. Bubbles
10. Excuse Me Please
11. Hard Back (Industry)
12. Temptation
13. Wanna Be
14. You Can't Tell Me Nuffin'
15. Dean (Bonus Track)
16. Sirens (Chase & Status Remix) (Bonus Track)

Album Description

Only available in the U.S. as a digital download!

Album Details

2007 Issued Album from the Red Hot UK Rapper. Includes the Bonus Tracks "Dean" and "Sirens" (Chase and Status Remix).

Average customer rating: do not miss this if you are into electronic music I want my money back! most surprising release of the year Dubstep, gets It's first ,truly Essential Masterpiece.... the best

Burial Burial Manufacturer: Hyperdub ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Ambient | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music Electronica | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music Britain | British Isles | Europe | International | Styles | Music Pop Rap | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Memories of the Future Evangelista Ys Conference of the Birds From Here We Go Sublime ASIN: B000FA55X2 Release Date: 2006-09-12

Tracks:

1. Distant Lights
2. Spaceape - Burial, Spaceape
3. Wounder
4. Night Bus
5. Southern Comfort
6. U Hurt Me
7. Gutted
8. Forgive
9. Broken Home
10. Prayer
11. Pirates

Customer Reviews:

do not miss this if you are into electronic music.......2007-04-17

It was very refreshing to hear this CD. I listen to a lot of new music, but most of the stuff leaves my player after a couple of listens.
This however is one of those things that will remain memorable...similar to those early 90's massive attack albums. The music is obviously electronic, but somehow it manages to have this deep, organic sound. The rhythms are somewhat complex, unexpected. I don't think it will work extremely well as club dance music, but this doesn't really matter to me.

I am not sure how someone would give it 1 star. Obviously this is not for everyone - it is hard to imagine my dad digging it (he likes sinatra and stan getz)...but if one likes creative electronic music, there is no way one will be dissappointed.
And if you do like this, there are a few other good artists to explore, e.g Kode 9, Boxcutter and the likes

I want my money back!.......2007-02-17

Buying this CD was the biggest waste of my money so far in 2007.
I'm throwing it in the garbage because it is such a bad CD. I guess if you are looking for a CD of noises instead of music, then it's for you.
Where is the music???
It's actually very creepy and I guess it would be good for Halloween or for background audio for a horror movie.
Don't waste your money!

most surprising release of the year.......2007-01-11

Burial is a master at his sound. Dark, minimal and beautiful all at the same time. This release was unexpected and a wonderful surprise for 2006. If you are in to dubstep, you probably already know this artist, if you like electronic music, buy this CD.

Dubstep, gets It's first ,truly Essential Masterpiece...........2007-01-05

Dubstep is although a relatively recent music genre, it's a successful splicing of the rhythmic arrangements and some of the instrumentation, normally associated with 2-Step/Garage, with the bass and reverberation of Dub reggae. And what initially seems like an unusual/oddly confusing pairing of genres, works remarkably like a mash-up of dancefloor friendly, bass-heavy 2-step. But there is a new lineage of producers willing to experiment with the boundaries of the genre...taking other elements of genres, and slowly filtering them into the Dubstep genre. Enter low-key producer "Burial" with a altogether more sinister approach to the genre. His masterstroke is to take the sound out of the clubs, and shift the focus towards something far more suited towards an intimate home-listening experience, slow the beats down and give them an eerie, disembodied paranoid edge, and take the mood & atmosphere of Electronica and imbue them against melancholy keyboards, throbbing acid lines, and fragmented beats, and arrange them into hugely atmospheric slow-moving almost filmic sci-fi productions, that make up the albums tracks.

It's a largely gloomy and ghostly sound, one that expresses a mournful sonic sentiment, via the use of spacious, sparse productions with little touches like static and echo effects, that recall night-time cityscape aerial-views of the capital at night. Sounds and moods are build around samples, shifting awkwardly around each other. "Gutted" shapes an impressively claustrophobic track, which would be ideal, for driving a car through the city after dark, around what sounds like a sample of a gun (pistol) being reloaded. "Prayer" uses a more spooky and decidedly haunted echo derived sound to get it's point across admirably, by not only showing considerable skill as a producer, but the insight to argument moody & sonic texture beautifully. 'Distant Lights' mixes incredibly sparse programmed beats, into a stretching metallic-organic hybrid soundscapes, by coupling a shimmering vocal against a bass-reverberating rumble, and like pretty much all the tracks here, it's construction is in theory...fairly simplistic, but it more than compensates by any technical limitations offered by the producer, by being hugely atmospheric and tremendously evocative.

Some people are calling this their "underground Album of the year" (2006), and although I've heard far too much in 2006, to award any one particular album that accolade. I will agree that this is a truly remarkable album, one that is a reasonably innovative album...in so far, as truly pushes the genre forward, it's spare/stark/claustrophobic/melancholic mood and tone, is completely at odds with the more dance-oriented sounds of Dubstep. It's an album that sounds truly at it best, under the cover of night....using it's more sinister manipulation of moods, in a way that develops into a truly brilliant album of such cold inspiration and druggy emotion, ethereal atmospherics, submerged soundscapes, and a shimmering tension to the music, that so incredibly well realised, that how he'll follow this up, is anyone's guess. Another reviewer mentioned that a rough description of this album, would be something akin to an Instrumental version of "Massive Attacks - Blue Lines" (or "Tricky's" Work), and that a fairly good comparison. If you could imagine an instrumental version of `Blue Lines' (or more closely, Tricky's Albums) with the tension turned way up, the string sections removed, and the rhythmic arrangements stripped down to their barest elements. And the Dub side made harsher, and replacing the soulful beating heart of Blue Lines, with something far Colder in sound, it could reasonably be considered that is what to expect. But irrespective of that, this is one of the most startling albums I've heard last year, and easily deserving of inclusion on all of the critics end of year `Best of' lists.

the best.......2006-11-28

I actually bought this record. They had one copy of it at Amoeba. They had a few 12-inch singles too. This is probably the most experimental record of all the records I have reviewed this month. It is a collection of all the singles from the past six years (2000-2006). It is a mix between dub, two-step, drum & bass, and goth. There is some atmospheric stuff mixed with some driving tunes. People often ask me what I am listening to. This is the sort of record I would be into even if I wasn't being a reviewer. This is amazing. This is underground. This is definitely a new sound. You should check it out too.

Average customer rating: Amazing Debut

Breaking Kayfabe Cadence Weapon Manufacturer: Upper Class ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music Pop Rap | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music Similar Items: I'll Sleep When You're Dead The Magic Position Popular Demand Desire The Return of the Magnificent ASIN: B000CMOLHO Release Date: 2006-11-28

Tracks:

1. Oliver Square
2. Sharks
3. Grim Fandango
4. Black Hand
5. 30 Seconds
6. Diamond Cutter
7. Holy Smoke
8. Fathom
9. Turning On Your Sign
10. Lisa's Spider
11. Vicarious
12. Julie Will Jump The Broom

Customer Reviews:

Amazing Debut.......2007-02-15

Breaking Kayfabe is hands down one of the best albums I heard in 2006. Tight, original beats, intelligent and arresting verses, and a sense of genuineness that shines through. Highly recommended.

Average customer rating: Lady rox hip hop? Please enter a title for your review Make Way For Da S-O-V! S.O.V. spins HipHop Masterfully

Vertically Challenged Lady Sovereign Manufacturer: Chocolate Industries ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music Pop Rap | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Public Warning Arular Hoodie Thunder, Lightning, Strike The Mouse and the Mask ASIN: B000BHN7SE Release Date: 2005-11-15

Tracks:

1. Random
2. Ch Ching (Cheque 1-2 Remix)
3. Fiddle With the Volume
4. Random (Menta remix feat. Riko)
5. A Little bit of SHHH
6. The Battle
7. A Little bit of SHHH (Remix by Adrock)
8. Fiddle With The Volume (Ghislain Poirier remix)

Amazon.com

Lady Sovereign is a young, incredibly-talented MC from northwest London. Her first stateside release is a greatest-hits hodgepodge with one new tune and several remixes that bring the guest stars and are actually pretty great. She may be 5'1" but there's nothing small about her talent; Sov's hyper-hyper flow is Ritalin-ready and often as self-deprecating and hilarious as it is barbed. As she sings on "TK TK," "Now, look at me, the multi-talented munchkin." The strength of her call to arms "Random" and the wiry, awesome "Ch Ching" is undeniable. She's got a great backstory: born and bred in rough and tumble projects, she became the sole female performer of note in the testosterone-soaked grime scene, and word is she's signed to Def Jam via Jay-Z at the age of nineteen. She's no politico really, which explains why she's been called M.I.A. Lite, while those who call her Feminem might be up to something. The difference of course between her and the Slim Shady is that her vitriol runs far less deep; she's much more interested in getting the party started. Vertically Challenged is a swell and short debut, but if you expect great things from Lady Soveriegn in the future, odds are you'll not be disappointed. -Mike McGonigal

Customer Reviews:

Lady rox.......2006-12-18

Lady rox! Ch-Ching!

1- Random- It's her hit single. But it's the worst song on the album. What I mean is it rox- all the other ones are just better. ( it did get me out of my seat)

2- Ch Ching- Unlike Random, BEST SONG ON THE ALBUM!. Upbeat, and a 2- second sample will get you out of your seat!

3- Fiddle With The Volume- Fiddle of the roof- I get bored just typing it. Fiddle With the volume- YES! ROX!

4-A Little Bit Of Shh- I wonder if she said like a little bit of f**k for me or something or if it's meant to be shh duh shh

5- The Battle- Good but with a 30 second sample I never heard Lady.

6- Random Remix- Better.

7- A Little Bit Of Shh Remix- Better than first.

8- Fiddle With The Volume Remix- Good but first is better.

hip hop?.......2006-10-29

oh please, however catchy the beats are do not call her music hip hop,for some one who has been listen to it for years, calling her music hip hop is an insult.

Please enter a title for your review.......2006-10-23

A white british girl with a side ponytail doing an impression of a jamaican yodeller. It's not a drug-induced hallucination, it's Lady Sovereign. Surreal insanity to the max. I luv it.

Make Way For Da S-O-V!.......2006-10-19

This album is so much fun, and really a breath of fresh air as far as hip hop goes. Grime is the new crunk!

S.O.V. spins HipHop Masterfully.......2006-10-17

Hiphop as a genre is so wide spread and international that sometimes we get wonderful creative jems like Lady Sovereign. She is not only lyrically impressive, but the mixes of electronics on all her tracks will get you moving, which is basically what she sets out to do. I dont know much about the hip hop insprised grime scene in the UK, but i will definitely be keeping on eye out now. And i will patiently await for S.O.V. debut US album.

Favorite Track, though all of it is really good, will have to be "The Battle" feature other grime scene artists like Shystie, Zuz Rock, and Frost P spitting the wildest (barely understandable lol) rhymes ive heard. No men and women have battled against each other like this, especially for the listening public.

How ever, no one should compare SOV to anyone (Missy or M.I.A.) All emcees, particularly female one have a different style and should be prasied for such. SOV has a style totally different from anything ive heard to date. It's refreashing to see a new spin on HipHop.

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