Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Album Review: It's Not Me, It's You


If half of all pop sounded half as good as Lily Allen, my dial wouldn’t move from B-94 (if B-94 is even still around). Lily’s new album, It’s Not Me, It’s You, is set to drop in exactly one week, but as per the recent norm she’s streaming it today on her MySpace, so that’s where I’m dialed in right now, and loving it.

Though the sound is no huge departure from Alright, Still (that’s a good thing), Not Me packs in some great, unexpected touches. My favorite might be the banjo interlude on “Not Fair,” an open break-up note born out of sexual frustration. Lyrically, Lily’s as pithy and funny as ever, and just slightly more introspective—charming to the max.

Only one disappointment on first listen: my favorite tracks (“The Fear,” “I Could Say,” and “Who’d Have Known”) are the same three that Lily put out months ago as demos. I love all three though, so that’s not really a complaint or critique.

Unfortunately, as with so many successful mid-size acts, the closest Lily will get to Pittsburgh on her brief U.S. spring tour will be D.C., a drive I’ve historically reserved for the likes of Wilco and M. Ward. Sorry, Lily. I could say I’ll be there for you but, to borrow a phrase, "that would be a lie, and quite a pointless thing to do."

SITKOT rating: 47 out of 57

Download:
Lily Allen – “The Fear” (demo, released as “I Don’t Know”) (
Mediafire link)

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