Lily Allen. I guess I should start here by saying, I am in no way a fan. Britpop, for me took a massive nose dive when “Mockney” entered the charts. For the longest time, I’ve thought her fame and meteoric rise to the top had been brought around soley by her relation to Keith Allen, her father, who must have pulled some chains with his contacts in the business. If I was listening to the radio and “Smile” or “LDN” came on, I would jump from my chair, and through anyone in my way to change station.
Her video’s didn’t make it easier to like her either. “LDN” for those TV stricken, features her walking through London, wearing a beautiful red dress, and the ugliest white trainers I have ever seen. This coupled with her massive gold ear-rings immediately gave her about a 9 on the chavometer. All throughout the video everything around her seems to turn to dust and depression, which must have been the producer’s in-joke stab. Her lyrics too, reek of pretension and the annoying attitude that seems to of infused itself with people who shoot to the top.
So to reiterate, I don’t like her sound, style, or even the way she talks. However, her new single, “The Fear” I like, and for no small reason. The start of the record, doesn’t sound like a Lily Allen song, with an acoustic guitar hook, strangely echoing something akin to the “Juno” soundtrack.
When she start’s singing, it’s still her voice, but the words she’s using and the sentences they form must be some of the most honest she’s ever used. The record is full of self-reflection and a down to earth lyrical review of the music business.
It’s still Lily Allen, but the solemn attitude mixed with the danceable beats that the single has, seem to work, making it sound thoughtful, yet mindlessly foot-stomp-able at the same time.
Hopefully this is a sign of an artist turning of age, maturing and being ready to face the crowd with integrity, and still keeping the sound that has made her popular to her fans.
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