What can I say about Lily Allen that hasn’t already been stated somewhere or another online? Chances are you already know that her father is British actor/comedian Keith Allen. If not, well, there ya go. There is also a good chance that the first time you were introduced to this cute-yet-foul-mouthed UK popster via that big ol’ online community we know and love… MySpace. She is the latest of the hype-driven artists to emerge from said website and for once I kinda dig this one.
I am not much of a made-for-radio pop fan. Sure, I have a bit of a soft spot for Robbie Williams, but most of the other top 40 radio shit to me is, well shit. There are two elements that make me really like Lily Allen’s album, Alright, Still. For starters, it is truly catchy. The melodies are so infectious that I find myself humming the lead single “Smile” pretty much from sun up to sun down. It is pop genius. The second part of her music that intrigues me is the lyrical content. She isn’t foul-mouthed to the point of artists such as Tenacious D, but she drops some zingers that keep me listening to find out what she’ll say next.
For example, lets roll back to “Smile.” This sunny, infectious song seems innocent enough, just another silly break-up song. Oh no. “When you first left me, I was wanting more. But you were fucking that girl next door, what did ya do that for?” Yup, the first line of this album. Blunt and straight to the point, with a bit of added color from a F bomb. Ah Lily, I see how you roll. Jumping to the next tune, she adds a touch of British hip hop a la The Streets on “Knock ‘Em Out.” Her thick accent definitely has a Mike Skinner thing going on during her rap, which I love.
Her musical roots touch upon ska and calypso throughout the album, such as on the MySpace “hit” “LDN.” You’ll find yourself nodding along to this great summertime jam, and then within seconds you’ll ask yourself “did she just sing about a pimp with his crack whore?” Yes, she did. Festive content aside, she does have a knack for songwriting as her words flow easily. Lily’s songs never feel forced, always comfortable and cool, even when she is commenting on having bad credit, violence, and media dictating how we should look. Oh yeah, and not achieving orgasm. And getting high. And sleeping with an ex’s friends for revenge.
I’ll admit that I really wanted to hate Lily Allen’s album. I really did. Any artist that achieves popularity via MySpace does sort of rub me the wrong way. Most of the music that I have been exposed to via online buddy communities has typically been rubbish. Lily Allen must be the exception to the rule. Alright, Still is a fun ride through the cooler side of pop.
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