Mike Skinner may well have made the right decision in retiring The Streets.

When Original Pirate Material was released in 2002, Mike Skinner’s ordinary bloke lyrical style was refreshingly unique, but as with anything popular, it drew its fair share of copycats (some of which Skinner even signed to his ill-fated label).

While the influence of The Streets was impossible to ignore in each of these acts, it can easily be argued that none of them has been able to hold a candle up to the originator. Unfortunately when a style that you began becomes so ubiquitous that some can’t even distinguish your voice from others, it can be a good time hang up your hat.

Computers and Blues is a fond farewell to the style Skinner has become known for, with stoner stories, homemade beats and cultural references splashed across the whole album sounding more similar to his debut than expected.

Mike Skinner may have chosen to stop recording under the moniker of The Streets, but he didn’t do so without saying a proper goodbye first.