Rating: A-

Artist: Lily Allen

CD: “Alright, Still”

Label: Capitol/Empire

 

She may be English, but she’s no rose.

After garnering a considerable amount of buzz with her demos on myspace.com, Lily Allen makes an impressive debut with her full-length CD “Alright, Still.”

Unfortunately, the album’s first track and single, “Smile,” is a misrepresentation of what the rest of the CD has to offer.

With its light, almost reggae rhythm and deceptively sweet vocals underlying a very bitter message, “Smile” is a decent and catchy song, but definitely not the best.

As the album progresses, the melodic, eccentric beats maintain, but Allen switches from airy vocals to more of a rapper’s flow as she rejects unworthy boys at a club in “Knock ‘em Out” and rides her bike looking fondly upon an old lady being mugged and a pimp slapping his whore in “LDN.”

Allen’s biting British attitude does not die down as she attacks a former lover’s sexual inadequacies in the aptly title “Not Big” and drops the “c” word in a nightclub confrontation in the laid-back track “Friday Night.”

Even though each track has its own unique feel with layered brass instruments and thumping drumbeats, the song with by far the best sound has to be “Shame For You.”

The beat starts out with the recognizable sound of a needle hitting vinyl. Then, the piano faintly outlines the melody of the song before the whole sound comes together in a unique tone reminiscent of old funk with a touch of jazz.

If a song could have a swagger, “Shame For You” would definitely be able to walk the walk.

After listening to seven sassy tracks with up-tempo beats, Allen delightfully switches it up with the beautifully arranged and surprisingly vulnerable song “Littlest Things.”

This track not only showcases Allen’s talent as a writer, but also the softer side of a woman who only two tracks ago was ready to get scrappy with random girls at a club.

As disappointing as it is, the album regrettably loses steam with tracks nine and 10.

Dull and borderline annoying, both songs don’t stand out enough compared to other tracks on the album.

However, redemption for “Alright, Still” comes in the form of Allen’s real-life pothead brother in the track “Alfie.”

Right from the start, the quirky, polka-like melody draws you into the pathetic life of Alfie and Allen’s pleas of trying to get him out of bed and out into the world.

The album ends with an alternate, more up-beat version of “Smile,” a version which Allen should have used in the beginning.

Who knew a simple change of rhythm and the addition of a toe-tapping drum beat could make a song that much better?

“Alright, Still” is a noteworthy debut that has something for everyone. Simple, melodious lyrics for the pop lovers, idiosyncratic beats for the indie crowd and for the hip-hop fans, there’s even a parody of 50 Cent’s “Window Shopper.”

— KC Ifeanyi, news editor