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Tuesday, February 3, 2009
The same criticisms that I level at Lady Blahblah (overhyped, shameless self promoter, media whore, gash in the press daily) could equally be levelled at my beloved Lily Allen. However, unlike Lady Blahblah, Lily Allen isn't just some more outre version of Britney/Christina, and with her second album has developed popstar-with-longevity-potential chops. It's Not Me, It's You (much like the ace Sugababes Every Heart Broken [aka Murder One], she should've stuck with her ace original title "Stuck On The Naughty Step")is a significant step forward from her quite delightful debut album, yet isn't so progressive that it loses the blog-pop stylings she has become so well known for.
The album kicks off with a couple of socio-political belters, dressed up in their finest electro-tinged ballgowns and trainers. Everyone's At It sees Lily musing over the problems caused by living in a pill popping society. And I'd be surprised to find anyone who hasn't been to their doctor feeling a bit blue and not be offered a nice bout of anti depressants (amitryptaline are particularly good because you lose weight like crazy too. Skinny and a zombie?! Perfect!)Musically, it perfectly sets the tone for the album, and was rumoured to be the first single for a while. Rightly so, it is easily of that standard. The actual first single, and UK chart topper, The Fear has a musical backdrop that reminds me of All Saints Pure Shores and is actually a brilliant comeback single that deserves all it's successes and accolades. It places Lily in a more polished electronic setting but doesn't lose her ability for witty lyrics and a catchy melody. It's a slam against popstars who can't shut their legs in public ("I'll take my clothes off and it will be shameless/cos everyone knows that's how you get famous") as well as the best attack on our credit card addictions since Shania Twain's Ka-ching ("I am a weapon of massive consumption/It's not my fault it's how i'm programmed to function"). Yes it's a bit hypocritical but the whole album has this cohesive air that Lily is a bit battered from her launch into the spotlight and is stepping back to re-evaluate.
The album's first laugh out loud moment comes with the mariachi sound on acid stylings of It's Not Fair. Bring everyone round for a hoe down because it's a brilliant extension from the debut album's It's Not Big as Lily sings about her perfect lover who's crap in bed. “Now I lie here in the wet patch in the middle of the bed / I’m feeling pretty damn hard done by / I’ve spent ages giving head”. It's the musical version of the Sex And The City episode where Samantha dates a guy with a tiny peeny, and it's Lilys candor that makes her so refreshing and charming at the same time. There's more musical experimentation with a Russian sounding polka dance on Never Gonna Happen, which is all perfectly barmy and endearing. Back To The Start is another amazing up tempo tune that is totally worthy of single release. It's apparently about making peace with her older sister and like XO says in his review, is sweet and lovely and deserves repeated listening to fully appreciate. A couple of ballads show that Lily can do electro-slow with beautiful results. I Could Say begins with some lovely piano interspersed with a resonant beat, that is reminiscent of the final heartbeats of a monitor hooked up to a dying relationship. But the drawer here is that Lily emerges defiantly from these broken relationships and comes out all the better for it. It's exquisitely constructed and a highlight that shines at the midway mark of the album. Who'd Have Known has slowed down from the Take That-Shine similarity of the original and radiates with a warmth and welcoming that the demo version lacked somewhat - this may be because Lily works the chorus by vocally coming in by working up the register rather than starting high and going down the notes. It really does make a difference. 22 didn't stand out for me on first listen, but after a few "spins", I've really warmed to this tale of how single women are maligned by society if they aren't wed and producing by the time they are thirty. The slight reworking of GWB provides the second laugh out loud moment of the album particularly when her "fuck you" goes chipmunk style, but overall it's still a great song (lily does the carpenters indeed) and an additional verse just extends my listening pleasure.
Overall, it's nigh on a perfect album. There are a couple of slight mis-fires (Chinese pales a bit in comparison to the other stronger tunes) to be sure, but it's a great album that is already my favourite of the year.
Potential Singles: The Fear, Everyone's At It, Back To The Start, I Could Say
LINKS:
Read XO's review here
Will-W weighs in here
Lily is coming soon to Pop Reviews Now (and probably Poppostergirl!)
The album kicks off with a couple of socio-political belters, dressed up in their finest electro-tinged ballgowns and trainers. Everyone's At It sees Lily musing over the problems caused by living in a pill popping society. And I'd be surprised to find anyone who hasn't been to their doctor feeling a bit blue and not be offered a nice bout of anti depressants (amitryptaline are particularly good because you lose weight like crazy too. Skinny and a zombie?! Perfect!)Musically, it perfectly sets the tone for the album, and was rumoured to be the first single for a while. Rightly so, it is easily of that standard. The actual first single, and UK chart topper, The Fear has a musical backdrop that reminds me of All Saints Pure Shores and is actually a brilliant comeback single that deserves all it's successes and accolades. It places Lily in a more polished electronic setting but doesn't lose her ability for witty lyrics and a catchy melody. It's a slam against popstars who can't shut their legs in public ("I'll take my clothes off and it will be shameless/cos everyone knows that's how you get famous") as well as the best attack on our credit card addictions since Shania Twain's Ka-ching ("I am a weapon of massive consumption/It's not my fault it's how i'm programmed to function"). Yes it's a bit hypocritical but the whole album has this cohesive air that Lily is a bit battered from her launch into the spotlight and is stepping back to re-evaluate.
The album's first laugh out loud moment comes with the mariachi sound on acid stylings of It's Not Fair. Bring everyone round for a hoe down because it's a brilliant extension from the debut album's It's Not Big as Lily sings about her perfect lover who's crap in bed. “Now I lie here in the wet patch in the middle of the bed / I’m feeling pretty damn hard done by / I’ve spent ages giving head”. It's the musical version of the Sex And The City episode where Samantha dates a guy with a tiny peeny, and it's Lilys candor that makes her so refreshing and charming at the same time. There's more musical experimentation with a Russian sounding polka dance on Never Gonna Happen, which is all perfectly barmy and endearing. Back To The Start is another amazing up tempo tune that is totally worthy of single release. It's apparently about making peace with her older sister and like XO says in his review, is sweet and lovely and deserves repeated listening to fully appreciate. A couple of ballads show that Lily can do electro-slow with beautiful results. I Could Say begins with some lovely piano interspersed with a resonant beat, that is reminiscent of the final heartbeats of a monitor hooked up to a dying relationship. But the drawer here is that Lily emerges defiantly from these broken relationships and comes out all the better for it. It's exquisitely constructed and a highlight that shines at the midway mark of the album. Who'd Have Known has slowed down from the Take That-Shine similarity of the original and radiates with a warmth and welcoming that the demo version lacked somewhat - this may be because Lily works the chorus by vocally coming in by working up the register rather than starting high and going down the notes. It really does make a difference. 22 didn't stand out for me on first listen, but after a few "spins", I've really warmed to this tale of how single women are maligned by society if they aren't wed and producing by the time they are thirty. The slight reworking of GWB provides the second laugh out loud moment of the album particularly when her "fuck you" goes chipmunk style, but overall it's still a great song (lily does the carpenters indeed) and an additional verse just extends my listening pleasure.
Overall, it's nigh on a perfect album. There are a couple of slight mis-fires (Chinese pales a bit in comparison to the other stronger tunes) to be sure, but it's a great album that is already my favourite of the year.
Potential Singles: The Fear, Everyone's At It, Back To The Start, I Could Say
LINKS:
Read XO's review here
Will-W weighs in here
Lily is coming soon to Pop Reviews Now (and probably Poppostergirl!)
Labels: album assessment, Lily Allen
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