Mike Skinner’s ‘Two Nations’ highlights a few important differences between England and America. For one, our best rappers all shoot each other. For another, Skinner’s garage rap records sell millions in England, but not over here. The sad thing is, he’s right — the Streets have deservedly gained loads and loads of indie cred, but Skinner’s no star in the States like he is across the pond. (One German listings magazine recently printed an interview with him under the headline: “Innovative as Shakespeare.”) His struggles as a massive pop sensation might seem a little overblown from our point of view, but he claims they’re all autobiographical. Over 11 songs he comes to blows with his manager, lies to his girl about getting some on the road, dodges amateur paparazzi — and these are just a few of his woes. 2004’s A Grand Don’t Come For Free proved that Skinner had a knack for fiction, but The Hardest Way to Make an Easy Living shows he can handle truth with the same degree of painful detail.
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