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| Lily Allen Alright, Still |  |
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Full Review | User Ratings (86) |
| Summary: Solid summer album for the car |
3 of 4 thought this review was well written
At first look Lily Allen may look like an innocent young lady. She was raised in a privileged family in the UK, attending expensive private schools. You would like to think she was preparing to be a duchess of sorts. Knowing that she actually was expelled from many of those private schools, she may not be so innocent.
That same sweet and sour persona comes out in her debut LP Alright, Still. The songs achieve a great pop sound isn't really found in the mainstream. Let me try to describe the sound with a scenario: walking down a city street mid day with the sun shining on your face; that is what this album is made for.
Now the album has been out for a few months, and if you aren’t from the Americas the hit single “Smile” might be getting a bit old. But nonetheless it is a solid track and it made its way to #1 in the UK charts and it even made it to #7 on Rolling Stone’s Top Songs of 2006. Other singles include LDN and Littlest Things.
LDN, much like Smile, will have you singing along. Starts out with blasting horns, which continue in a background for the rest of the song. Littlest Things is a bit more on the melancholy side of things. The only song made for that occasional rainy day. Everything is perfect on this track from the piano to the bridge to the chorus. Other stand out songs is Not Big, Shame for You, Friend of Mine and Alfie. Not Big having an obvious sexual innuendo of the man not being “big” enough. On the other hand, the song Alfie pokes fun at her little brother. Definitely one of the goofiest pop songs you'll hear.
I will be the first to admit Lily Allen doesn’t have a great voice. She has a nice voice that makes fit to the songs but she isn’t the most capable or explored compared to other women in music. She really likes to focus on the lyrics. The lyrics come off very amusing and LDN is a great example.
There was a little old lady, who was walkin down the road
She was struggling with bags from Tesco
There were people from the city having lunch in the park
I believe that it's called al fresco
Lily Allen has been influenced by The Specials and it really shows in her music. Tracks like Smile, LDN, Not Big, Friday Night, and Friend of Mine all show huge ska influence. So obviously while I was in Europe this summer the song Smile caught my ear, and turned me into a fan. Other than being ska influenced there is also some R&B and Britpop. The music is simple and nothing too complex, but any Violent Femmes fan will agree simple is just as good as complex.
All in all she is a pop star, but she isn’t your next Britney Spears dancing in spandex. Her music isn’t all marshmallows and gum drops. She has some real music that can be enjoyed by many, even ones that may not like to admit it. There is a song or two that may have you looking at your >> button, but over all this album is a solid summer album for the car.
7.5/10
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The song smile is pretty cool but it annoys me after a while. Good review but you maybe could of defined her sound a little more but that is the hardest thing to do in a review. Good Job!!
Digging: Gram Parsons - Grievous Angel
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Smile is an awful song.
Digging: Counting Crows - August And Everything After
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Yeah, i just added a sentence or two to get a bit more detail in there. She is a hard one to define. A lot of stuff influenced her and it is hard to compare the sound to other stuff.
For the most part I didnt want to bore people with a long review, so I kept it short. A short review, I feel, lets people read the review instead of skimming it.
This Message Edited On 12.21.06
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Smile is a great song.
Digging: Brand New - The Devil And God Are Raging Inside Me
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Smile's ****in awesome.
Digging: City Of Caterpillar - City Of Caterpillar
| | | Album Rating: 4 | Sound Off
Man I love this album so much. She's freaking great. Easily in my top 10 pop albums this year.
Digging: Kathleen Edwards - Asking for Flowers | | | Album Rating: 3
I'm not convinced. It's fun but you know
Digging: Have A Nice Life - Deathconsciousness | | | Album Rating: 4 | Sound Off
It's fun and that's all that ****ing matters
| | | Album Rating: 4
Just a FYI, the US release date is January 30th 2007.
| | | Album Rating: 4
I agree with morrissey.
Digging: The Clash | | | Album Rating: 3.5
goodgoodgoodgood
| | | Album Rating: 4 | Sound Off
Quote:
Just a FYI, the US release date is January 30th 2007.
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Yeah I know I just changed it to the UK release date because people couldn't rate it before. When it is released in the US I will change the date back to the American one.
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ah, roger that.
| | | Album Rating: 3
Quote:
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When it is released in the US I will change the date back to the American one.
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What's this, patriotism?
| | | Album Rating: 4 | Sound Off
We can compromise and make it the Canadian date!
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Littlest Thing is good.
Digging: Jay Reatard - Blood Visions
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this is a fantastic record. wears a little thin toward the end but picks it up in enough places for it not to matter. i was for sure mozzy would do this one, but apparently someone already did it. good little review, if very short on detail...
Digging: U2 - How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb | | | Album Rating: 4 | Sound Off
Changed it to the American release date.
Funny story, I intended to review only this record only to find this review submitted the same very day. I might get to it later, I'd like to give my take on it, although my soundoff pretty much sums it up.
This Message Edited On 02.02.07
| | | Album Rating: 4
yeah your sound off pretty much nails it. still your reviews are a lot of fun and i'm sure you can add some useful info. i really can't say enough about this album, it really took me by surprise. i kind of thought right off "this is what Gwen Stefani is supposed to be". it really is my idea of a fun and sometimes interesting record. and she has a vocal style about her that just catches me off guard sometimes. very fetching.
This Message Edited On 02.02.07
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gwen stefani isn't supposed to be anything like this
you are mistaken
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