"It's Not Me, It's You" - Lily Allen
The second album from the English MySpace breakout (with a title that plays on George Costanza?) is smoother than her first, “Alright, Still”, perhaps due to a healthy dose of 80’s inspired production. While it may not peak as often, it’s still very sharp and clever---a little more mature , you could say.
Allen had been splattered all over the covers of the British dailies for her off-stage antics. They may pale next to Amy Winehouse, but still aren’t much for her mum to be proud of. Hopefully, she’s beyond that now, even acknowledging that we all have addictions (well, there's a start) in the album’s opening cut.
A hip-hop fan, Allen has no fear in being frank, from a boyfriend who doesn’t take care of her, shall we say, romantic needs, to a big buh-bye for George W. Bush. I can't even print the title of that one, but as nasty as the words are---the melody couldn't be any more "nice". At this point, I should mention that an Edited Version of the CD is available.
Highlights include “The Fear”, a dancy tongue-in-cheek self-assessment and a jab at new millennium consumerism, the kiss-offs “Not Fair” and “Never Gonna Happen”, and the gorgeous new love in blossom “Who’d Have Known”.
Lily's a big star back home, but I'm not sure if she'll conquer America. She sounds VERY British---and that may be a turn-off, but at just 23, she's also a very gifted songwriter and social critic with two excellent albums in her arsenal.
The second album from the English MySpace breakout (with a title that plays on George Costanza?) is smoother than her first, “Alright, Still”, perhaps due to a healthy dose of 80’s inspired production. While it may not peak as often, it’s still very sharp and clever---a little more mature , you could say.
Allen had been splattered all over the covers of the British dailies for her off-stage antics. They may pale next to Amy Winehouse, but still aren’t much for her mum to be proud of. Hopefully, she’s beyond that now, even acknowledging that we all have addictions (well, there's a start) in the album’s opening cut.
A hip-hop fan, Allen has no fear in being frank, from a boyfriend who doesn’t take care of her, shall we say, romantic needs, to a big buh-bye for George W. Bush. I can't even print the title of that one, but as nasty as the words are---the melody couldn't be any more "nice". At this point, I should mention that an Edited Version of the CD is available.
Highlights include “The Fear”, a dancy tongue-in-cheek self-assessment and a jab at new millennium consumerism, the kiss-offs “Not Fair” and “Never Gonna Happen”, and the gorgeous new love in blossom “Who’d Have Known”.
Lily's a big star back home, but I'm not sure if she'll conquer America. She sounds VERY British---and that may be a turn-off, but at just 23, she's also a very gifted songwriter and social critic with two excellent albums in her arsenal.
Just watch her, but don't get too close...or you may end up in a song.
Click here to watch "The Fear" (courtesy of You Tube, etc.)
