Lily Allen
It's Not Me, It's You (Regal)
It would be easy for a girl in Lily’s position to become completely detached from reality and swan around in a celebrity dream world where everyone gives her everything she wants when she wants it. But she doesn’t, and her sometimes cringeworthy ordinariness is a massive part of her appeal.
Singing about antidepressants, unsatisfying sexual encounters, break ups, horrible people, watching telly with her mum – this album is Lily Allen. It’s not Lily Allen trying to be cool or Lily Allen trying to be clever – it’s just a 22 year old girl making songs from what’s in her head.
The first album was pretty hit and miss, musically often trying to be a bit too quirky and almost painted her as a flamboyant cartoon character. This time around, the music is mostly understated, delicate and vulnerable – and it works so much better for little Lily.
Yes, it’s not an earth-shattering album, and there’s a fair chance if you’re a bloke the whole thing will be completely lost on you. But Lily Allen has made a gem of a second album that will probably be every indie chick’s top guilty pleasure for 2009.
Download via iTunes
Fiona McKinlay
