Absolutely. This album is an inspired work.

Everything after it is quite frankly, terrible.

It helped get me through times when I was really low in spirit.

"Some men rise, some men fall, I hear your call, stand tall now".

"You might lose your job, it's when that happens that what I'm talking about will feel much more important..."

I agress this album is brilliant, but not that everything after it was terrible.

I probably listen to A Grand Don't Come for Free more then OPM, the impact of Empty Cans in the context of listening to the whole album is huge. Fit But You Know It and Dry Your Eyes are great too, maybe too commercial for some tastes.

Saw The Streets last year at Alexandra Palace! Banging gig..

A Grand Don't Come For Free always felt more forced to me.

OPR felt like he was singing about a time and a life he knew. I figure the label wanted a second album and he gave it a go.

"A Grand Don’t Come for Free was an ambitious rap opera that wrapped a tale of romance and remorse around the disappearance of £1,000 belonging to the protagonist. To write it, he attended a workshop with the Hollywood screenwriting guru Robert McKee, who taught the likes of Kirk Douglas, Paul Haggis, Joan Rivers and even David Bowie."

Yeah, I've always felt A Grand Don't Come For Free is actually the better album. Empty Cans literally made me cry the first time I heard it.

The later stuff, though, and particularly the material since the 2017 revival is... not great.

Tbh I was not including the second one in the poo - I think the 1st and 2nd albums are both equally good in their own ways!