Author: Alex Blair
Lily Allen, one of Britain's most popular and controversial pop stars, isn't afraid to speak her mind. Whether she's talking about her drug use or the shortcomings of the British government, Allen does so in an unabashed manner. For her 2006 debut album, "Alright, Still," Allen wore her personality on her sleeve, balancing hardcore attitude with bouncy pop songs. Hits like "Smile" and "LDN" were bright and catchy on the surface, but revealed ironic and biting elements through their lyrics. This formula made "Alright, Still" one of the best albums of '06, so it comes as a surprise to find that Allen's newest release, "It's Not Me, It's You," has moved in quite a different direction. Instead of spiteful rants against her ex-boyfriends, Allen sings about social issues, God and love. To fans of Britain's wild girl, this more serious approach might sound shocking, but there's no need to worry. The album, for the most part, is a success.
The album's synth-heavy opener, "Everyone's At It," makes it clear that the ska-influenced sound of "Alright, Still" has been replaced by electropop. Besides a change in musical style, the song also represents a new lyrical direction for Allen. On the track, she ridicules society for its abuse of depression medications and searches for an answer to this popular addiction: "From grown politicians/To young adolescents/Prescribing themselves/Anti-depressants/How can we start to tackle the problem/If you don't put your hands up/And admit that you're on them." While the music on tracks like "Everyone's At It" and the anti-materialism anthem, "The Fear," are catchy and lively, their lyrics often feel preachy and awkward, especially coming from someone who has become a popular tabloid figure due to her drug use and fame. On "Him," the album's most intolerable track, Allen wonders what God thinks of humanity and concludes that he believes it "has been going on too long." Here, Allen abandons any semblance of her familiar self and instead channels the self-righteousness of Bono. That's not to say she can't write a good topical song. The aptly titled "F--- You" is a scathing reproach of George W. Bush and conservatism in general, and "22" is a harsh condemnation of the pressures society puts on women. Both songs work because they balance social commentary with funny and abrasive lyrics.
Allen briefly returns to her old self with wonderful songs like the western-inspired "Not Fair" and the accordion romp "Never Gonna Happen." In the former, which sounds like it's straight out of an old Clint Eastwood cowboy yarn, Allen complains to her boyfriend that he doesn't satisfy her sexually: "There's just one thing/That's getting in the way/When we go up to bed/You're just no good/It's such a shame." In "Never Gonna Happen," she dismisses an overbearing ex with biting wit and charm. Both songs are classic Lily Allen and, along with "F--- You," provide the album with some much-needed edginess.
The album's two best tracks come, surprisingly, in the form of love ballads. "Who'd Have Known" fuses a gentle piano with electronica undertones while creating vivid images of a blossoming relationship: "And even though it's moving forward/There's just the right amount of awkward/And today you accidentally/Called me baby." Allen delivers these lines with such a genuine air of love that you can't help but feel happy for her. "Chinese" is heavier on synthesizers and paints a portrait of a woman who is far away from her boyfriend, desperately yearning for a simple evening with him eating Chinese food and watching TV. Both songs are the emotional core of "It's Not Me, It's You" and will hopefully point Allen in a new, more heartfelt direction for her next album.
For the Record
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