Categories : Music Reviews, Rap + Hip-Hop, Rock + Pop.
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Rating: 4/5 Released: January 30, 2007 Reviewer: Nathan Atnikov |
Still in her early 20s, Lily Allen has already piled up as much street cred as any rapper this side of the Billboard top 100. Jumping between about a dozen schools before she finally dropped out at 15, Allen has lived more than enough life to put weight behind her debut album, Alright, Still.
Unlike said rappers, Allen deals less with cars and jewellery, and more with something that most people will find much more interesting – reality. ‘LDN’ recalls a particularly eventful people-watching experience, while ‘Knock ‘Em Out’ suggests a myriad of excuses to avoid “nasty†guys at the bar. The knockout blow, though, is ‘Not Big,’ a kiss off to an ex who she outs as “rubbish in bed†and “small in the game.â€
Allen hides her biting observational humour under aw-shucks melodies and an audible smile. She also shows a musicality far beyond her years, dabbling in reggae, pop, garage and hip-hop.
Ultimately, what makes her such a breath of fresh air is her stance in direct opposition to Lady Sovereign. Whereas the S-O-V turned out to be a caricature of aggression and toughness, Allen slays on Alright, Still, with her simple laid-back attitude and cheekiness that isn’t over-rehearsed.
Buy Alright, Still from iTunes >> 
