Computers and Blues

In contrast to the "self-indulgent meltdown" of The Hardest Way to Make an Easy Living (2006) and the '"philosophy for beginners" approach' of Everything Is Borrowed (2008), Computers and Blues returns to the garage instrumentals and "everyman" presentation of real life of Original Pirate Material (2002) and A Grand Don't Come for Free (2004). It is primarily about technology's control on society, such as romantic dates on Facebook and addiction to Xbox gaming. Although Skinner sometimes raps about topics typical of his earliest albums, such as drinking ("Without Thinking") and being a stoner ("Roof of Your Car"), he also discusses issues unique to his later years, such as struggling with chronic fatigue syndrome ("Trying To Kill M.E.") and seeing his daughter's ultrasound ("Blip on a Screen"). Occasionally, the rapper references science fiction writer J. G. Ballard. As Skinner laments on "Puzzled By People", "You can’t Google the solutions to people’s problems."

{{Music ratings

| MC = 70/100{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/computers-blues |title=Computers & Blues Reviews, Ratings, Credits, and More at Metacritic |publisher=Metacritic |accessdate=10 February 2012}}

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1Score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite web|last=O'Brien |first=Jon |url=https://allmusic.com/album/computers-and-blues-r2127667/ |title=Computers and Blues – The Streets |publisher=AllMusic |date=7 February 2011 |accessdate=10 February 2012}}

| rev2 = The A.V. Club

| rev2Score = B−{{cite web|last=O'Neal |first=Sean |url=https://www.avclub.com/articles/the-streets-computers-and-blues,51831/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110218164752/http://www.avclub.com/articles/the-streets-computers-and-blues%2C51831/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=18 February 2011 |title=The Streets: Computers And Blues |website=The A.V. Club |date=15 February 2011 |accessdate=10 February 2012}}

| rev3 = Clash

| rev3Score = 7/10{{cite web|last=Renshaw|first=David|url=http://www.clashmusic.com/reviews/the-streets-computers-and-blues |title=The Streets – Computers And Blues |work=Clash |date=31 January 2011 |accessdate=10 February 2012}}

| rev4 = The Guardian

| rev4Score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite web|last=MacInnes|first=Paul|date=3 February 2011|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/feb/03/streets-computers-and-blues-review|title=The Streets: Computers and Blues – review|work=The Guardian|accessdate=18 February 2011}}

| rev5 = The Independent

| rev5Score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite web|last=Gill|first=Andy|date=4 February 2011|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110211125339/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/album-the-streets-computers-and-blues-679-2203484.html|archivedate=11 February 2011|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/album-the-streets-computers-and-blues-679-2203484.html|title=Album: The Streets, Computers and Blues (679)|work=The Independent|accessdate=14 December 2021}}

| rev6 = musicOMH

| rev6Score = {{Rating|4.5|5}}{{cite web|url=http://www.musicomh.com/albums/streets-5_0211.htm |title=The Streets – Computers And Blues | album reviews |publisher=musicOMH |accessdate=10 February 2012}}

| rev7 = NME

| rev7Score = 8/10[https://www.nme.com/reviews/the-streets/11832 Review]

| rev8 = Pitchfork

| rev8Score = 5.7/10{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/15099-computers-and-blues/ |title=The Streets: Computers and Blues | Album Reviews |publisher=Pitchfork |date=28 February 2011 |accessdate=10 February 2012}}

| rev9 = PopMatters

| rev9Score = 7/10[https://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/136854-the-streets-computers-and-blues/ Review]

| rev10 = Q

| rev10Score = {{Rating|4|5}}His fifth and final Streets album turns into his best since "A Grand Don't Come For Free." [Feb 2011, p.123]

}}

Sean O'Neal of The A.V. Club argued that despite some moments that "remind that he won't be easily replaced", most of Computers and Blues suffered from "rote rehash" in the lyrics, and "awkward nods to trends from a guy who once sought to push things forward", such as Auto-tuned hooks and references to internet lingo like "OMG".

{{track listing

| title1 = Outside Inside

| length1 = 3:02

| title2 = Going Through Hell

| note2 = featuring Robert Harvey of The Music

| length2 = 3:08

| title3 = Roof of Your Car

| length3 = 3:12

| title4 = Puzzled By People

| length4 = 3:08

| title5 = Without Thinking

| note5 = featuring Sharlene Hector

| length5 = 3:18

| title6 = Blip on a Screen

| length6 = 3:34

| title7 = Those That Don't Know

| length7 = 2:54

| title8 = Soldiers

| note8 = featuring Robert Harvey of The Music

| length8 = 3:37

| title9 = We Can Never Be Friends

| note9 = featuring Robert Harvey of The Music

| length9 = 3:37

| title10 = ABC

| length10 = 1:12

| title11 = OMG

| note11 = featuring Laura Vane of Laura Vane and The Vipertones

| length11 = 3:27

| title12 = Trying to Kill M.E.

| note12 = featuring Laura Vane

| length12 = 3:58

| title13 = Trust Me

| length13 = 2:16

| title14 = Lock the Locks

| note14 = featuring Clare Maguire

| length14 = 3:08

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = UK deluxe edition (bonus tracks){{cite web |title=The Streets – Computers and Blues (Deluxe Version) |url=https://music.apple.com/gb/album/computers-and-blues-deluxe-version/415493441 |website=Apple Music |access-date=9 May 2022}}

| title15 = In the Middle

| length15 = 2:39

| title16 = Lovelight

| length16 = 2:19

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Japan deluxe edition (bonus tracks){{cite web |title=The Streets – Computers and Blues |url=https://www.discogs.com/release/6819261-The-Streets-Computers-And-Blues |publisher=Discogs |access-date=9 May 2022}}

| title15 = See If They Salute

| length15 = 3:13

| title16 = In the Middle (Nero Remix)

| length16 = 6:09

| title17 = Going Through Hell (Diplo Remix)

| length17 = 4:12

}}

On 10 February 2011, Computers and Blues debuted at number 22 on the Irish Albums Chart. On 13 February 2011 the album entered the UK Albums Chart at number 8. As of January 2012 UK sales stand at 42,000 copies according to The Guardian.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2012/jan/16/indie-rock-slow-painful-death?newsfeed=true|title=Indie rock's slow and painful death|website=The Guardian|date=16 January 2012}}

The album was released in the United Kingdom on 7 February 2011, but was made available to Spotify Premium subscribers on 2 February.{{cite web |url=http://spotify-playlists.eu/2011/02/02/spotify-premium-the-streets-final-album-computers-and-blues/ |title=Spotify Premium – The Streets final album, Computers and Blues | Free Spotify Playlists |publisher=Spotify-playlists.eu |date=2 February 2011 |accessdate=10 February 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120319183342/http://spotify-playlists.eu/2011/02/02/spotify-premium-the-streets-final-album-computers-and-blues/ |archive-date=19 March 2012 |url-status=dead }} A stream of the album was made available by Guardian News and Media on 3 February 2011.[https://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2011/feb/03/streets-computers-blues-album-stream Hear the Streets' Computers and Blues – Album Stream]

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Category:2011 albums

Category:679 Artists albums

Category:Albums produced by Mike Skinner (musician)

Category:The Streets albums