The Streets - Everything Is Borrowed

Product Information, Audio Previews, Reviews and More On:
The Streets - Everything Is Borrowed

“”Just when I discover the meaning of life they change it,” Mike Skinner raps with typically uneasy, endearing coordination on his fourth album’s opening title track, but those aren’t the gutter scribblings of the desperately hungover—they’re a swelling carpe diem with a soaring hook (as soaring as you can get via Skinner’s keyboard-in-the-bedroom-closet vibe, anyway). Skinner has spent the few albums since his grand debut “Original Pirate Material” getting progressively more thoughtful, melodic and predictable, and where “Everything Is Borrowed” might lack the hair-singeing novelty of his debut (or its story-time follow-up “A Grand Don’t Come for Free”), there’s still plenty to keep things interesting: “Heaven for the Weather” is positively jaunty, “I Love You More (Than You Like Me)” is rather sweet, and Skinner’s dancing wordplay hits the beats on the gently meandering “On the Flip of a Coin” just right. —Jeff Vrabel”

The Chemical Brothers - Brotherhood

Product Information, Audio Previews, Reviews and More On:
The Chemical Brothers – Brotherhood

“The Chemical Brothers’ Grammy Award-winning catalog of sonic booms gets its second best-of in five years with “Brotherhood.” But this one does that rare thing: It gives fans something meaningful they didn’t have before (in addition to token brand-new track “Keep My Composure”). Since ‘96, the Chems have made a habit of releasing works-in-progress on vinyl to a small group of select DJs to test them out on dancefloors. Most went on to become B-sides or album tracks on five of their six long-players, in extended, abbreviated or otherwise tweaked forms. All 10 of these “Electronic Battle Weapons” are included on disc two of “Brotherhood,” offering a unique snapshot of the duo at work. Now, fans can track how “Weapon 3″ became the tauter, more relentless “Under the Influence” (on 1999’s “Surrender”) or finally find that song from the live show with the Freddy Krueger sample (”Weapon 7″). —Kerri Mason”