Cul-de-sac...

Ouch.

Just seeing a huge billboard in Hoxton advertising the new album made me feel a little embarrassed for our Mike. The poor guy.

That same clipper lighter logo. Blimey. A million memories and connotations in its sturdy, button-down honesty. Spot on at the time, but so dated now.

And the title, 'Everything Is Borrowed'... Meaning, we can presumably deduce, that Skinner has nothing original left to say. Defeatist from the off - not a good look.

Mike even admitted in an interview in The Word this month that the next album he does will definitely be the last one. "I signed a five-album deal," he intoned joylessly. So this is number four, then. You could feel the wretchedness seeping through his words...

For the man who brought my starry-eyed youth "the world stands still as my mind sloshes round/the washing up bowl in my crown", I'll always have gratitude.

But I feel for him now, more than ever. And he'd be the first person to understand how...