Much hyped, twenty-one-year-old, rapping, Myspace sensation, Lily Allen's, debut album, Alright, Still, is released in the US today. Will the posh, outspoken, faux-chavette become a huge star in American as she is in her native UK?
Already the recipient of a whole lotta blog-love, Allen sold out her first US show at the Hiro Ballroom in NYC instantly back in October, but will she be able to endear herself to Gwen Stefani and Fugly Fergie fans and break into the mainstream? While her songs are wickedly catchy and upbeat, her frank, sharp, cheeky, and acerbic lyrics may make her inaccessible to audiences who like their lyrics dumbed-down, bland and b-a-n-a-n-a-s. Not to say that Allen comes off like a member of MENSA, but her lyrics may be too cutting for all the bubblegum poppers and too feminine and feminist for fans of gangsta rap.
In lead single Smile, Allen basks in schadenfreuden watching her cheating ex-boyfriend "cry". The video for the song is hillarious, showing Allen paying thugs to beat up the ex and ransack his flat while she distracts him and sneaks laxatives into his coffee. Come on, ladies. Fess up! You know you've fantasized about doing the exact same things to an ex at least once in your life!
Knock 'Em Out hysterically illustrates the scene in a bar or a nightclub where women are anxiously trying to avoid "nasty," last-call hook-ups and desperately come up with ridiculous and outrageous "escape" lines like: "No, you can't have my number, because I've lost my phone," "Oh yeah, actually I'm pregnant. Having a baby in like six months. So, yeah, yeah..." "I've gotta go cos my house is on fire," and "I've got herpes." Lines many ladies have thought of using, but never did because of lack of balls.
LDN (text message shortcut for "London") is a perfect, summerday, cruising song. Allen happily rides her bike around the city, taking in the sites. If you look closely, the sites include a pimp and his crackwhore and a kid mugging an old lady.
Not Big pretty much says it all in its title. Allen confronts a bad boyfriend with, "Yeah, you must really think you're great. Let's see how you feel in a couple of weeks, when I work my way through your mates." She then takes it there with, "Yeah, let's rewind. Let's turn back time to when you couldn't get it up. You know what? It should have ended there. That's when I should have shown you the door. If that weren't enough to deal with, you became premature."
Friday Night is a cautionary tale to bitchy girls at clubs to not mess with Miss Allen. She warns, "Looked me up and down. I don't make a sound. There's a lesson that I want you to learn. If you're gonna play with fire then you're gonna get burned." Alfie is another warning to Allen's younger, stoner brother to get his shit together.
With all the hype surrounding her this past year, I really didn't want to like Lily Allen, but it's hard not to like her fun, bubblegum rap/hip-hop/pop, witty and irreverent lyrics, jabs at celebs, and cute pouffy, party dresses. Check her out on SNL this weekend, and if you can stomach it, at MTV's Discover and Download Tour. Click here for her website.