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(. It's literally a riot.)

And there's more: He might have created a soul concept album, but in case you think this is a pretentious, bookish, swotty thing to do, he has filled it with street-level details which take in murder, bad love, wild nights out, prison, swearing, and redemption. A bit like that album by the Streets, only without the broken telly (and with more murder).

He might have a song in which a character he has created is praying to God because of the awful things which have befallen him, but in case you think that it is weak that he, Plan B, could ever show that kind of frailty, he's singing as if he is praying HARDER THAN ANYONE HAS EVER PRAYED IN THE HISTORY OF FAITH. Those prayers are like press-ups, maan.

The song may contain more spiralling horns than a tornado in a moose enclosure, but in case you associate brass with parping, cheeky, Mark Ronson indie-remakes, they are massively punchy horns. The kind of horns Joshua would've used to give the walls of Jericho a good seeing-to. MAN HORNS, in other words.

And if all of that sounds awfully tiring, well sometimes it is. But he can take it, and why? Because he's a hard man, Plan B.

So long as we are all aware of this, he don't need NUFFINK, GOTTIT?

Download: Out now


´óÏó´«Ã½ Music page

(Fraser McAlpine)

"Another fine example of Plan B's accomplished storytelling ability."

"In the distance, the haters continue to grind their teeth..."

"Obviously praying should be our first resort, our Plan A, rather than plan B or further down the list of priorities."