Lily Allen - Alright, Still

 Cynical yet cheery
As a cynical yet cheery girl myself, I really enjoyed this album. Catchy, pop tunes filled with thoughtful and/or witty lyrics really make you stop and listen. It's one of those CDs that I can play over and over again without getting sick of it. May 2, 2008

 Finally, I found a album with explicit PBS kids songs!! In a good way though!
I first saw Lily Allen on a Mark Ronson video with her posing as a cartoon Roger Rabbit style, and I thought to myself, this girl is different creative and unique. Then she featured in Common's "Drivin me Wild" video and I was asking myself do this artist have an album yet? Well, late(as usual) I discovered that she did have an album because I saw two of her own videos on Havoc TV. Those videos were "Smile" and "LDN" and I was blown away. She has a merry-go-roundish type pop, but hip-hop, with a little dash of sing-a-long join hands and dance around in circles type vibe that I became so addicted, I watched the videos over and over again. So I was going to go get the album when I discovered my own sister (which music range isn't as deep as mine) knew and had the album way before I found out about this album. (Of course I was furious, but I had to snatch it up and listen).

Great music, great production from Mr. Ronson. "Knock em Out" and gameshow sounding "Everythings Just Wonderful" has Lily talking about having bad credit, family members smoking weed, etc, this girl has issues if you get past her melodic high vocals and listen to the lyrics. My personal favorites are "Friday Night" the addictive but creative "Shame For You", and hands down the best song on the album with its light synth and heavy keys "Take What You Take", yeah that's the title, Lily Allen really stretches out and shows her true vocal skills. She even does a little rapping on the album which doesn't sound bad either. "Nan You're A Window Shopper" she sounds better than 50 cent's version and a little more threatning too (sorry Fiddy)!! To nick pick, "Alfie" gets lost in the shuffle, but Lily comes hard with a stellar debut album and looking forward to hearing more from this strange genius!!

4 stars. The Brit sensation!! April 29, 2008

 Great Album!
Loooove Lily allen's CD 'Alright, Still'.. she's got so much character and clever lyrics! Won't be leaving my CD Changer for quite awhile! March 31, 2008

 Alright. Still.
Lily Allen has established herself as the brash British MySpace diva who numbers Gwen Stefani&Orlando Bloom among her celebrity acolytes. She's worked in the studio with Mark Ronson (like fellow Brit Amy Winehouse),and she's gone for a "retro with an edge" sound (again,like Winehouse)

Lily Allen has a pseudo-reggae/ska like the British group UB40. Fortunately,she doesn't take on a fake patois,and she isn't dull. "Alright,Still" is her debut-and she's got far to go. Other than the single "Smile" (about reveling in an ex's troubles),the syncopated "Friday Night" ,the reggae-style "LDN" and the cheerful "Littlest things" are the highlights. The rest of the album can be best described as rants. There's the hip-hop/spoken word "Knock 'em out",the mocking "Nan you're a window shopper" and the condescending (but cheerful) just say no to drugs anthem "Alfie." Of course,Allen takes swipes at the men in her life. In the quasi-reggae of "Not Big",she demeans the size of her boyfriend's manhood&his inability to pleasure her. In "Shame on you",she berates a boyfriend who is "spreading his seed all around town."

"Alright,Still" shows Lily Allen as the Diva with Attitude and Not Much Else. Alright,still this is her debut. She has time to come into her own&make her own style. For now,she's a MySpace diva,and everything is just wonderful. February 22, 2008

 One of 2007's Best Debuts
Lily Allen's "Alright, Still" is probably the biggest surprise I found when sifting through the mountains of music that came out last year. Between Allen's tongue-in-cheek lyrics, a handful of catchy hooks and Mark Ronson's impeccable production, this album is an absolute winner. While Lily Allen is the star of the album, The most apparent talent on this album is Ronson. I truly believe that he will become one of the most important producers of the 21st Century; it may be rash/too early to say this, but I really think he'll be the Qunicy Jones of the next generation. His arrangements, samples and everything on this album is really what makes the music shine. Sure the lyrics are absolutely hilarious (especially on "Knock 'Em Out" and "Alfie") and the music is absolutely catchy, but this would be a very different album without Ronson behind the curtain guiding Lily along. It will be exciting to see what this partnership produces in the future, and I think that it would be absolutely tragic to see Lily and Ronson break apart. This is a great album, and if you like this, check out Amy Winehouse's debut from last year as well, also produced by Ronson. February 11, 2008

More reviews at Amazon.com ...