The world of Mike Skinner is one of broken gaming systems, sucker-punches on the streets, and did I mention drugs? In the end, though, the overall picture is one of complete optimism and glee. Never has growing up English been so fun and, well, human, as it has on Original Pirate Material.

Skinner runs the gamut on material, from acknowledging a potential relationship gone bad ("It's Too Late") to the quintessential troublemaker about to drop school, work and everything else that matters in order to prove his manhood ("Turn the Page").

The themes on the album are essential to understanding the upbringing of the common English lad, and the beats that accompany said lessons are not boring by any means; in fact, almost every song has enough hook and rhythm to it to make a person pay attention to it, and the messages that lie behind each beat are profound to say the least.

The only real problem with Original Pirate Material is that Skinner attempts to prove himself as too much of an independent; almost all of the songs cut off abruptly, as though Skinner was busted with a 300 dollar fine each time a song was about to end and had to abandon ship. It's a bit trying throughout most of the record; luckily, the sheer meaning of each song pummels through enough to make a person listen regardless of the technical flaws of each song. One can't help but get weepy at the end of "It's Too Late," in the same way one can't help but laugh at the end of "Sharp Darts".

This here is music for the masses, and if you don't dare listen, fuck off. Of course, the music ain't for everybody (it's pretty different, even for the experienced connoisseur of genres), but one can adjust once one realizes the sheer bulk of meaning that underlies each song, regardless of the surface superfluity.