For fans of:
Panacea, CunninLynguists
Tracks to download:
‘Going through Hell,’ ‘Without Thinking,’ ‘Soldiers’

The 14 tracks of “Computers and Blues,” the latest and final album from The Streets, are solid, though British rapper Mike Skinner occasionally struggles to keep pace with his own beats and samples.

Skinner sticks to his usual stripped-down production, giving off that garage rock feel reminiscent of the older British punk acts. The samples are very rock-oriented with tons of guitar riffs layered with synthesizers. However, the samples used in this record may have outshined Skinner’s rapping, as his lines are not exactly strong or memorable.

“Going through Hell,” the album’s opening track, has a strong opening but suffers from the overpowering sample loop that overshadows Skinner’s own lyrics. “Without Thinking” is the most upbeat song in this collection and lyrically the most interesting. “Soldiers” is pretty great all-around with its rhythmic beat and is the strongest track on the album by far.

If you have any sort of interest in indie hip-hop acts, “Computers and Blues” will not disappoint. Nevertheless, fans will probably wish Skinner had finished The Streets on a stronger note.