We're going back to the mid 00s this week with the catchy pop-rock of Paolo Nutini and his infectious debut album These Streets, which was released 14 years ago today through Atlantic Records. It really doesn't feel that long since we were first singing along to 'Last Request'.

Paolo Nutini - These StreetsPaolo Nutini - These Streets

The Scottish singer-songwriter reached number 3 on the UK charts with These Streets going on to sell more than 2 million copies in Europe alone. He worked with Grammy-winning producers Ken Nelson (Coldplay, Gomez) and Tom Elmhirst (Amy Winehouse, David Bowie, Adele) on the record, which was largely inspired by his break-up with his teenage sweetheart Teri Brogan.

The singles 'Rewind' and, of course, 'Last Request' reflect this part of his life most plainly, though other singles 'Jenny Don't Be Hasty' and 'New Shoes' respectively reflect his being spurned by an older woman, and the that idea of solving problems could be as easy as buying new shoes.

'Last Request' is by far the most memorable track on the album, with an acoustic rendition even being included on the album as a hidden track. Describing his desire to have one last night with his love before they go their separate ways, it reached number 5 in the UK singles chart and went on to make appearances in a number of popular TV shows including Scrubs, One Tree Hill, Gavin & Stacey and EastEnders. The video was just as unforgettable, inexplicably featuring Paolo Nutini robbing a jeweller's before being shot down by police. 

Some of the other singles were also popular enough to feature in other media; 'Rewind' appeared in CSI: Miami, The Hills,  Eli Stone and the film P.S. I Love You, while 'New Shoes' was used in a Puma AG ad campaign.

It's true that there was nothing groundbreaking about the record in itself, but it's one of those that even if you only listened to it a handful of times back when it was released, you'd recognise it immediately years later. It's unsurprising that he would go on to top the charts with his later albums, 2009's Sunny Side Up and 2014's Caustic Love.