Lily Allen's musical beginnings (daughter of British celebrity spurns record industry hit factory and runs own promotional campaign over MySpace) have been harped by the media so many times that it seems like it all must have happened 100 years ago. Even so, the go-it-alone story is still a helpful introduction to Allen's Alright, Still because it is mostly by virtue of her own good taste that the album avoids the disaster areas pre-ordained by the tabloid-fodder break up that inspired many of its songs.
Alright, Still skirts these obstacles by tossing out the formula for pop break up albums and replacing it with a batch of songs that wrap the emotional fallout in sunny ska production and genuine wit. The front-heavy disc peaks right at the start with ""Smile,"" Allen's best track and #1 U.K. single. The song is a microcosm of Allen at her best, with breezy production that's catchy in its own right and a vocal performance that draws humor out of having it both ways with the lyrics. ""At first, when I see you cry, it makes me smile,"" she sings cheerfully, sweetly delivering an almost sadistic level of spite.
The album's second and third best tracks follow immediately afterward, when Allen shifts her focus momentarily from her own relationship woes. ""Knock ‘em Out"" seems to fill in the female perspective for the Streets' ""Fit But You Know It,"" with Allen mimicking the off-kilter rhymes of Mike Skinner (her closest male counterpart). ""LDN,"" Allen's break out single, comes off like an even cheerier ""Smile,"" setting her bike ride through crime-ridden city streets to bright mariachi horns and a refrain of ""Sun is in the sky and why oh why would I wanna be anywhere else?""
In light of the first three tracks, the unmitigated heartache of ""Littlest Things"" makes Alright, Still sound slightly bipolar, but Allen's ever-present wit and charming coo make the song the highlight of the back half of the album. Alright, Still's only serious misstep is on the incredibly bland, label obligated ""Take What You Take,"" which Allen attempted to keep off the album, having since remarked, ""I fucking hate that song more than anything in the world.""
Between the early album peak and the brief trough of ""Take What You Take,"" Allen works in a strong set of songs jumping between wry observations on daily hardships (""Everything's Just Wonderful,"" which somehow builds a chorus on top of elevator music) and plenty more spite for her ex (""Not Big,"" which skewers his sexual ... erm ... shortcomings). Two of Allen's earliest, most straightforwardly comedic songs close the album off, with ""Alfie,"" an ode to her stoner younger brother and the 50-Cent parody ""Nan You're a Window Shopper.""
As young as she is, Allen has shown considerable talent not only for songwriting but also for surviving the morass of the major label recording industry. Provided she keeps both of those capacities at full strength, her wit and savvy should ensure popular and critical success for years to come.
