Lily Allen – ‘It’s Not Me, It’s You’ Album Review

Lily Allen’s new album, It’s Not You, It’s Me, is now out on both sides of the Atlantic. So I thought a review would be rather fitting, especially as I’m a huge fan myself. The album is streaming on Allen’s MySpace page so you can listen along and see if you agree with my assessment.

01. Everyone’s at It

The first song on the album draws you in and tells you exactly what to expect from the rest of the tracks. Clever lyrics, as is usual for Allen, a catchy chorus, and a very addictive bassline.

02. The Fear

We’ve all heard this song by now, with it being the first single to be released from the album. It made sense to release this because it kind of sums up the album – kooky lyrics which have dual meanings, and a little more thought than previous Allen material.

03. Not Fair

A strange song but one I adore. A country/cowboy inspired bassline with Allen singing about a lack of fairness in the bedroom. No other artist could get away with putting these two elements together but it works.

04. 22

A bit of a slower song now. It has a similar vibe to The Fear with the plinky Victorian-style piano providing a key part of the bassline. Not single material but a good filler for the album.

05. I Could Say

Another song which slows the pace down considerably. I Could Say is an anti-love song with Allen listing the positive things which have happened after a relationship has ended. A possible future single.

06. Back to the Start

This song sounds more like the Klaxons than Lily Allen. The jarring dance/new rave bassline fits beautifully around Allen’s vocals though, especially on the chorus which is delivered at an electrifying pace. Probably my favorite song on the album.

07. Never Gonna Happen

Another strange choice of instrument – this time sounding like a German oompah band. Again, Lily’s voice works over the top of it, proving her versatility. The lyrics are smart and the chorus is ultra-catchy.

08. Fuck You

A title which leaves little to the imagination and an intro which sounds like Close To You by The Carpenters – what’s not to love about this track? This song is clearly directed at anyone who Allen considers close-minded. I agree with the sentiment 100 percent.

09. Who’d Have Known

A traditional love song which owes a lot to Shine by Take That. Seriously, Gary Barlow may be contacting his lawyers over this track. A slower track to set the end of the album up nicely.

10. Chinese

An album track that wouldn’t work as a single. Probably the weakest song on It’s Not Me, It’s You. I do, however, love the way Allen has taken the simple task of getting a Chinese takeaway and built a song around it.

11. Him

A song about God? Wow, a bizarre one for Allen. It’s kind of like a poppy, fun version of One Of Us by Joan Osborne. For me, this cements in my mind Allen as a very clever lyricist who sings about things everyone can relate to.

12. He Wasn’t There

The last song on the album takes the 1940s as its inspiration for the bassline, complete with the scratched record vibe. I’m pretty sure this song is about Lily’s father, Keith Allen. Not the greatest song, but it finished the album up nicely.

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Some of Lily’s fans don’t seem to like the direction she has gone in recently. But for my money, It’s Not Me, It’s You is a much more refined album than Alright, Still. There are less singles on there, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing, showing Allen has matured a pop wonder to a proper musician and artist. Highly recommended.

It’s Not Me, It’s You – 9/10

[Photo Source: From Newscom with permission]
[Photo Source: Amazon.co.uk]