Lily Allen

Lily Allen: It's Not Me, It's YouIt's Not Me, It's You (2009)
EMI Group

Reviewer Rating: 3

User Rating:

Contributed by: TorgoTorgo
(others by this writer | submit your own)
Published on February 27th 2009Lily Allen divides people, plain and simple. Some people think she's a snarky firecracker who transcends genre, while others view her as nothing more than Katy Perry without the Zooey Deschanel resemblance. There are well-read arguments for both sides, but one thing Allen proves on her sophomore dis.

Lily Allen divides people, plain and simple. Some people think she's a snarky firecracker who transcends genre, while others view her as nothing more than Katy Perry without the Zooey Deschanel resemblance. There are well-read arguments for both sides, but one thing Allen proves on her sophomore disc is that she can be more mature and eloquent than Perry -- but only when she wants to.

The songs about sex and relationships with wildly blunt and inappropriate language that caught the eye of many people on her first album, Alright, Still, gets a little tiresome here. "Not Fair," with its spaghetti western beat complete with banjo solo could be a sequel to Alright, Still's "Not Big." About a guy who is great in every aspect of their relationship except for his selfishness in the bedroom, it gets a little cringe-worthy: "Oh I lie here in the wet patch in the middle of the bed / I'm feeling pretty damn hard done by, I spent ages giving head." Announced to be the second single, I can't wait to see how that couplet works on radio.

The album's two lead-off tracks, "Everyone's at It" and "The Fear" are acceptable, though not distinctive, which tackle, respectively, the prevalence of drugs and the spoiled culture of young female celebrity ("I want loads of clothes and fuckloads of diamonds / I heard people die while they're trying to find them"). They're polished, clean and single-ready (indeed, "The Fear" is the record's first single) but ultimately disposable.

It's Not Me, It's You takes a turn for the better on track 5 with the sublime "I Could Say," starting a block through track 10 of the album's best songs. Here is where her well-written, offbeat style meets maturity to a satisfying level. "Who'd Have known," the album's best track, bears a White Album-era Beatles piano stomp that looks at a budding relationship through a sophisticated lens. It's followed by the dreamy "Chinese," which paints a fully realized portrait as well as Lily ever has.

This album will appease Lily Allen fans who loved her first record, even if this is more dance-oriented versus her debut's more ska leanings. But one has to wonder if on her third album she needs to litter it with "controversial" tracks like "Not Fair" and the awful "Him," which ponders, among other things, if God is ever suicidal or tried cocaine. She's established enough to where her mature tracks can top the charts; Lily should be able to move away from doing Eminem's trademark of making the over-the-top, funny, zany song the lead single to hook the record-buying public. This will set her apart from the Katy Perrys of the pop world.

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Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not respon sible for them in any way. Seriously.

judoandrew (July 16, 2009)

this shit suuuuuuucks

SilentStorms (March 5, 2009)

Apparently this isn't Punknews anymore. This isn't real music, especially punk music. I submitted a review for Protest the Hero's first EP a couple of years ago and it never made it onto this site. This is fucking bullshit. This was my homepage, let's hope it still is next month. Aubin and Adam and the rest, stop posting this shit! I've been a devout Punknews fan for years, but I'm getting to the end of your road, and all I see is prodigious cliffs. Score is for recent content. Score is for this site.

damnitsderek (March 4, 2009)

katy perry is teh fug.

This.

DreeeamWeaver (March 3, 2009)

KurtTGS needs hiz bawwwls reattached!

HAW HAW HAW

AlexPardee (March 2, 2009)

I want to die! (Right now)

chrisafi (March 2, 2009)

This is wank

KurtTGS (March 2, 2009)

For anyone who hasn't heard her: http://www.myspace.com/lilymusic

The Fear kinda sucks, but her other two old songs on here are great.

DreeeamWeaver (March 1, 2009)

katy perry is teh fug.

inagreendase (March 1, 2009)

I don't see why Paris Hilton's "ska esque" song shouldn't be reviewed here either.

Because we don't really do single song reviews.

DrBino (March 1, 2009)

God i hate this pompous bitch. Get your fake chav accent off the fucking radio! Fuck you Lily Allen.

Grue (March 1, 2009)

where the hell is the new BTMI review? People must know how much it kicks ass!

the_other_scott (March 1, 2009)

mikexdude

i try to stay away from the misogynistic commenting. but katy perry is hot. you're wrong. 100% wrong.

mikexdude (March 1, 2009)

Okay, two things:

1. KATY PERRY IS NOT ATTRACTIVE. Stop. Really, she isn't.

2. I thought this was a very good review.

scorpiondeathlock (March 1, 2009)

based on pure physical attraction alone...id take katy perry.

skarocks (February 28, 2009)

I'm not surprised with this review on the site, but I have to question if Lily Allen hadn't had "ska sounds" on her first album, would you have reviewed it for the site and more importantly would Punknews have considered posting it on their site. Lilly Allen doesn't do anything for me but if her album gets reviewed here then I don't see why Paris Hilton's "ska esque" song shouldn't be reviewed here either. Also the comparison to Katy Perry is stupid. There is no way you could get those two mixed up, they look different, one is English the other American and their music styles are totally different.

the_other_scott (February 28, 2009)

i'm not feeling this one as much as I dug Alright, Still. that shit was on a pop-genius level.

p.s. to those complaining, Lilly Allen has as much to do with punk as half of the mall-punk bullshit reviewed on this website. don't look at it as "lilly allen is punk" look at it as "a lilly allen review from the perspective of a punk rock fan"

leecorsoisapenis (February 28, 2009)

ChadReligion FTW! This review was so worth it!

Jim

ChadReligion (February 28, 2009)

http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Media/Pix/pictures/2009/02/2 3/qmagazine550.jpg

Deadpan (February 28, 2009)

I can understand that it's not your opinion that she's similar to Katy Perry, but the fact is that it's a ridiculous argument to make in the first place, and to me it seems like you've kind of legitimised it by not only acknowledging it in the review, but seemingly pandering towards the people who would make those comparisons by devoting such a relatively large portion of the review to it. Really, all you'd need to do would be to say something like "To all those who compare her to Katy Perry: you are dumb."

There aren't well-read arguments for both sides - the two acts, beyond being female pop-artists, share nothing in common beyond hair colour.

damnitsderek (February 28, 2009)

I thot thiz ws PUNKNEWS lulz.

inagreendase (February 28, 2009)

What Torgo said.

torgo (February 28, 2009)

For the "omg not punx!!" people: I reviewed this mostly on the basis that her first album was fairly ska, and you know your Britney Spears comparisons are hyperbole. Also, if Kanye is reviewed on here, this is fair game.

For the people saying Lily has been around longer than Katy: I know that, I'm just saying a lot of people view them as one in the same.

And yes ozmanx, that picture I believe is the main reason no one should be hatin' on this review

ozmanx (February 28, 2009)

Score is for that Zooey photo.

IanIsSuperRad (February 28, 2009)

Fucking love this album. I don't even care. One of my favorites so far this year.

martinNZ09 (February 28, 2009)

Lily Allen has been around a lot longer than Katy Perry

Archangel (February 28, 2009)

WHAT

the

FUCK

Cos (February 28, 2009)

Whenever someone posts a review of something mainstream-related, the whole community goes nuts. This site has ALWAYS posted reviews like this. Get over it.

I loved Lily Allen's first album and would rather listen to that than anything that editor fav's Weezer has put out in the last 10 years. This one was a little bland the first go around, but maybe I'll like it later.

cheesetits (February 28, 2009)

I get this girl and Katy Perry confused, even though I've never heard this girl. I imagine it being the same though. Is that wrong.

FrankReich (February 28, 2009)

Not bad. A couple of stinkers like "Him" and "Back To The Start" but I'd take any 6 songs from this over the crap on the new Loved Ones EP

givemeamuseumandillfillit (February 28, 2009)

Did Britney Spears or Katy Perry have Joe Strummer mentoring them?

telegraphrocks (February 28, 2009)

well.....Joe Strummer was her godfather. Score is for Strummer.

Seriously? Wow.

I was just listening to Global A Go Go yesterday again.... sooo good.

Apeman_on_the_moon (February 28, 2009)

I don't want to be one of those guys who complains about reviews but......Lily Allen does nothing in her music that would warrant her record being reviewed on this site.

oskorei (February 28, 2009)

really punknews.org?? Is this the best you can come up with this week?

Deadpan (February 28, 2009)

How was she ever compared to Katy Perry? Her debut was released, in the UK at least, long before anyone had ever been irritated by the vapid twat who pretends to have kissed a girl. So uh... what?

I dunno, it's hard to take this review seriously on that basis alone.

skitzo (February 28, 2009)

well.....Joe Strummer was her godfather. Score is for Strummer.

teaessare (February 28, 2009)

Zooey Deschanel is much hotter to me.

CCSummers (February 28, 2009)

The sites review section is quickly becoming a joke

holyromanstile (February 28, 2009)

Great album. Better than Alright, Still.

ChadReligion (February 28, 2009)

I thought the first album was well put together.. It always put me in a good mood and made me want to get high and go to London and hit on cute british girls. I'm not sure about this release, but I hope she sticks with he little dancehall/ska vibe without going totally Chemical Brothers.

cute chick... nice ass

check out the cover of Q magazine

punknewscommenter (February 28, 2009)

She's performed with Terry Hall and Lynval so thats good enough for me.

INDESTRUKTIBLE502guate (February 28, 2009)

this fucking site is going fucking down.

PUNKnews.org my ass!

DreeeamWeaver (February 28, 2009)

where's my Lady GaGa review?

telegraphrocks (February 28, 2009)

Get the fuck out of here!

ChokingVictim (February 28, 2009)

i like her music, a lot. i shouldn't but i do. eat a dick.

misterspike (February 28, 2009)

Uppin' the Punx. Waiting on the new Amy Winehouse review ...

crackpotdemagogue (February 28, 2009)

popnews.org? I actually quite like the song 'the fear' which you describe as disposable.

also, OMG LOL at the guy below who said "this should be deleted off the website". we have a radical in our midst!

mevsall (February 28, 2009)

if you're gonna review something that's not punk, it should be something good. i could write a bad review for nickelback or something, but what would be the point?

ridebikesnothorses (February 28, 2009)

This should be deleted off the website.
Lily Allen is a mockney disgrace, and punk!?

pricey123 (February 28, 2009)

ouch. this shouldnt be posted here

anarchyadam (February 28, 2009)

Why is this reviewed here? Like, seriously, there have to be dozens of albums waiting for their reviews to be published. The shitty kanye west nightclub rap reviews are horrible enough, but this britney spears bullshit is somehow worse.

I'm joking, but are you guys actually going to post my review of the new britney spears album? I worked extra hard, and listened halfway through the album. I pooped on a piece of paper and mailed it to you. It should be there soon. It's in a box. look out for it.

I can't wait until next week, when the top review is the new Stone Temple Pilots album. That's the closest thing I could think of that is this far from what should be getting reviewed on this site.

Seriously though, I did mail you my poop when I saw this review.

Expect it.

insinceredave (February 28, 2009)

Well, I dont normally like shouting 'this doesn't belong here! oi oi oi!' but come on.... come on....

strickland (February 28, 2009)

Im pretty disappointed that this has featured on this website. I thought here was somewhere i could go to get away from mainstream popshite like lily allen. Get a hold of yourselves punknews. I can understand the hip hop reviews, but this is plain ridiculous.

punknewscommenter (February 28, 2009)

Disappointed by this one. I hope she gets all the experimenting out on this record and decides to go full on two tone for the next one. .. and hopefully writes better lyrics.
For me, Lily Allen has so much potential that has yet to be lived up to. She just needs to stop trying so hard to be controversial.

holy_balls (February 28, 2009)

is lily allen hot? if so, i want to do her. if not, i don't.

thegimper (February 28, 2009)

Yeah, I haven't taken the time to listen to this album yet since she has reportedly moved away the Ska sound of Alright, Still. I need to get my hopes down low enough before I can pop it in.

KurtTGS (February 28, 2009)

I loved Alright Still...this one, I just don't know.