These Streets is the debut studio album by Scottish singer-songwriter Paolo Nutini, released by Atlantic Records on 17 July 2006. Preceded by the single "Last Request", the album debuted and peaked at number 3 on the UK Albums Chart and was later certified six times Platinum by the British Phonographic Industry for domestic shipments in excess of 1,800,000 copies. It also entered the charts in many other European countries, and in 2011 it was certified double Platinum by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry for sales of over 2,000,000 copies in Europe.

These Streets
Studio album by
Released17 July 2006
GenrePop rock
Length44:25
LabelAtlantic
ProducerKen Nelson, Jim Duguid, Tom Elmhirst, Andy Green
Paolo Nutini chronology
These Streets
(2006)
Sunny Side Up
(2009)
Singles from These Streets
  1. "Last Request"
    Released: 3 July 2006
  2. "Jenny Don't Be Hasty"
    Released: 25 September 2006
  3. "Rewind"
    Released: 4 December 2006
  4. "New Shoes"
    Released: 12 March 2007

Background

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Most of the songs featured on the album were inspired by the end of Nutini's relationships with his long-term girlfriend Teri Brogan, and another girl which began when they were still in their teens.[1][2] Among the others, "Last Request" describes the couple's last night together, while "Rewind" expresses the willing of turning back time before the end of another relationship were his lover left him alone in a hotel.[3][4] Another auto-biographical intimate relationship served as the inspiration for the album's second single, "Jenny Don't Be Hasty", which tells about Nutini's involvement with an older woman who refused him because of his age.[5]

Other tracks from the album explore different themes, like the title-track, which describes the feelings of a boy who leaves his hometown to move to a big city,[3] or "New Shoes", a song telling about a man who finds life easier as he wears a new pair of shoes. According to Nutini, the song was written trying to imagine if solving problems could be as easy as buying shoes is.[6]

Critical reception

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Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic     [7]
IndieLondon     [8]
The Observer     [9]
Rolling Stone     [10]
The New York Times(positive)[3]

These Streets garnered mostly positive reviews from music critics. Marisa Brown of AllMusic praised Nutini's ability to convey mature honesty by crafting songs that carry effective lyrics and catchy melodies, concluding that the record "won't blow anyone away with its creativeness or ingenuity, but it's done well and it's direct and open and enjoyable to listen to, which is more than enough."[7] Nick Levine of The Observer saw potential in Nutini's "talent for elegant, melodic songwriting and an admirable willingness to vary the tempo." He concluded with, "[T]here is a glut of singer-songwriters right now but, on this evidence, the half-Italian 18-year-old boasts more talent than most."[9] Rolling Stone's Christian Hoard felt the album didn't have any replay value because it had songs that lacked strong choruses and recognizable lyricism, saying that "For Nutini's lady fans, These Streets might be something to get hot and bothered about, but most of us could take or leave this useless beauty."[10]

Track listing

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No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Jenny Don't Be Hasty"Paolo Nutini, Jimmy Hogarth3:29
2."Last Request"Nutini, Jim Duguid, Matty Benbrook3:41
3."Rewind"Nutini, Duguid4:19
4."Million Faces"Nutini, Benbrook, Pauline Taylor3:41
5."These Streets"Nutini, Pete Wilkinson, Sarah Erasmus3:53
6."New Shoes"Nutini, Benbrook, Duguid3:21
7."White Lies"Nutini, John Fortis4:00
8."Loving You"Nutini, Duguid, Chris Leonard4:00
9."Autumn"Nutini, Duguid2:50
10."Alloway Grove" (includes the acoustic version of "Last Request" as a hidden track)Nutini, Rollo Armstrong14:12
French Edition Bonus Tracks[11]
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
11."No No No"Nutini, Benbrook, Taylor3:45
12."Sugar Man"Sixto Diaz Rodriguez2:06
13."Caledonia" (Live at Garage, Glasgow)Dougie MacLean4:00
Live in Concert Version Bonus Tracks[12][13]
No.TitleLength
11."Last Request" (Live from Kentish Town Forum)3:45
12."Rewind" (Live from Kentish Town Forum)5:01
13."Jenny Don't Be Hasty" (Live from Kentish Town Forum)5:08
14."New Shoes" (Live from Kentish Town Forum)4:09
15."Rainbows" (Live from Kentish Town Forum)4:30
Festival Edition Disc 2 (recorded live at the Isle of Wight Festival 2007)[14][15]
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Alloway Grove"Nutini, Rollo Armstrong4:25
2."New Shoes"Nutini, Benbrook, Duguid4:04
3."Rewind"Nutini, Duguid4:34
4."These Streets"Nutini, Wilkinson, Erasmus3:38
5."Troubled So Hard (Natural Blues)"Moby, Vera Hall3:34
6."Last Request"Nutini, Duguid, Benbrook4:09
7."I Want To Be Like You"Robert B. Sherman, Richard M. Sherman 
8."Jenny Don't Be Hasty"Nutini, Hogarth5:21

Personnel

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Technical[16]

  • Chris Athens – mastering
  • Michael Brauermixing
  • Dean Chalkley – photography
  • Jim Duguid – A&R assistance, assistance, production
  • Tom Elmhirst – mixing, production
  • Robert Gold – art direction
  • Andy Green – mixing, production
  • Paul Wesley Griggs – photography
  • Thomas Haimovici – A&R
  • Dominic Leung – cover design
  • Brendan Moon – A&R assistance, assistant
  • Gregg Nadel – product management
  • Ken Nelsonengineering, mixing, production, recording
  • Conor O'Mahony – A&R
  • Mark Pythian – engineering, mixing
  • Richard Skinner – creative direction
  • Richard Wilkinson – engineering
  • Julian Wilmott – assistance

Charts

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Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[42] Gold 35,000^
France (SNEP)[43] Gold 75,000*
Ireland (IRMA)[44] 2× Platinum 30,000^
Italy (FIMI)[45] Gold 25,000*
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[46] Platinum 30,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[47] 6× Platinum 1,800,000
United States 114,000[48]
Summaries
Europe (IFPI)[49] 2× Platinum 2,000,000*

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

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Region Release date Format Label
United Kingdom[50] 17 July 2006 CD, download Atlantic
Italy[51] 29 September 2006
United States[52] 30 January 2007

References

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  1. ^ Rick Fulton (16 September 2009). "Exclusive: My girlfriend has banned me from singing about our sex life, reveals Paolo Nutini". Daily Record. Retrieved 10 April 2012.
  2. ^ "Paolo Nutini back together with long-term girlfriend Teri Brogan". Daily Record. 26 March 2010. Retrieved 10 April 2012.
  3. ^ a b c Pareles, Jon (2 February 2007). "Lonely Guy Arrives, and Lots of Friends Show Up". The New York Times. Retrieved 10 April 2012.
  4. ^ "Paolo Nutini's girlfriend bans him from revealing all". STV. 16 September 2009. Retrieved 10 April 2012.
  5. ^ Tom Woods. "Paolo Nutini – Jenny Don't Be Hasty (Atlantic)". MusicOMH. Archived from the original on 21 October 2012. Retrieved 10 April 2012.
  6. ^ Tom Fordyce (5 August 2008). "The odd couple unveil new shoes". BBC. Retrieved 10 April 2012.
  7. ^ a b Brown, Marisa. "These Streets – Paolo Nutini – Review". AllMusic. Retrieved 9 April 2012.
  8. ^ "IndieLondon: Paolo Nutini – These Streets – Your London Reviews". indielondon.co.uk.
  9. ^ a b Levine, Nick. "CD: Paolo Nutini, Paolo Nutini". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 13 March 2007.
  10. ^ a b Hoard, Christian (20 February 2007). "These Streets : Paolo Nutini : Review". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 17 October 2007. Retrieved 9 April 2012.
  11. ^ "These Streets (Edizione: Francia) (Edizione limitata, Import) – Paolo Nutini" (in Italian). Amazon.it. Retrieved 9 April 2012.
  12. ^ "These Streets (Bonus Track Version) by Paolo Nutini". iTunes Store Ireland. Apple Inc. Retrieved 9 April 2012.
  13. ^ "These Streets (Live In Concert Version) – Paolo Nutini". Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 9 April 2012.
  14. ^ "These Streets – Festival Edition (Special Edition)". Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 9 April 2012.
  15. ^ "Recensioni – Paolo Nutini – These Streets – Festival Edition" (in Italian). Rockol.it. 25 October 2007. Retrieved 9 April 2012.
  16. ^ "These Streets – Paolo Nutini – Credits". Allmusic. Retrieved 9 April 2012.
  17. ^ "Australiancharts.com – Paolo Nutini – These Streets". Hung Medien. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
  18. ^ "Austriancharts.at – Paolo Nutini – These Streets" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
  19. ^ "Ultratop.be – Paolo Nutini – These Streets" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
  20. ^ "Danishcharts.dk – Paolo Nutini – These Streets". Hung Medien. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
  21. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Paolo Nutini – These Streets" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
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  25. ^ "Italiancharts.com – Paolo Nutini – These Streets". Hung Medien. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
  26. ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – Paolo Nutini – These Streets". Hung Medien. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
  27. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
  28. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Paolo Nutini – These Streets". Hung Medien. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
  29. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Paolo Nutini – These Streets". Hung Medien. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
  30. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
  31. ^ "Paolo Nutini Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
  32. ^ "Paolo Nutini Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
  33. ^ "End of Year Album Chart Top 100 – 2006". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 27 September 2015.
  34. ^ "Rapports Annuels 2007". Ultratop. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
  35. ^ "Jaaroverzichten – Album 2007". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
  36. ^ "Top de l'année Top Albums 2007" (in French). SNEP. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
  37. ^ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2007". hitparade.ch. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
  38. ^ "End of Year Album Chart Top 100 – 2007". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
  39. ^ "End of Year Album Chart Top 100 – 2009". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 22 October 2021.
  40. ^ "End of Year Album Chart Top 100 – 2010". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 29 November 2021.
  41. ^ "End of Year Chart 2011" (PDF). ChartsPlus. Retrieved 29 November 2021.
  42. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2008 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 28 December 2021.
  43. ^ "French album certifications – Paolo Nutini – These Streets" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Archived from the original on 24 September 2012. Retrieved 9 April 2012.
  44. ^ "Paolo Nutini: New album previews exclusively here". Irish Independent. 28 May 2009. Retrieved 9 April 2012.
  45. ^ "Italian album certifications – Paolo Nutini – These Streets" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved 10 October 2014. Select "2014" in the "Anno" drop-down menu. Type "These Streets" in the "Filtra" field. Select "Album e Compilation" under "Sezione".
  46. ^ "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards ('These Streets')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien. Retrieved 9 April 2012.
  47. ^ "British album certifications – Paolo Nutini – These Streets". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
  48. ^ "Graduation Class". Billboard. 21 July 2007. p. 42. Retrieved 22 November 2018. suzanne vega album sale.
  49. ^ "IFPI Platinum Europe Awards – 2011". International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 9 April 2012.
  50. ^ Jack Smith (20 July 2006). "Paolo Nutini – These Streets – Review". BBC. Retrieved 9 April 2012.
  51. ^ Roberto Calabrò (26 September 2006). "Paolo, dalla Scozia con successo. Il ragazzo irresistibile del pop". la Repubblica (in Italian). Retrieved 9 April 2012.
  52. ^ Jon Pareles (2 February 2007). "MUSIC REVIEW; Lonely Guy Arrives, and Lots of Friends Show Up". The New York Times. Retrieved 9 April 2012.