How long does it take for somebody to move from new and interesting and reasonably individual to being anodyne and bland and clearly, clearly designed by a committee heading straight for the lowest common denominator (‘yes, swearing is definitely a Merit here, hits a key section of the target demographic right on their rightclick’). When I look at it there is this nagging voice in my head saying ‘but it’s satire, surely it’s satire, don’t be so up yourself about it’ but if it is then the horribly ubiquitous ‘I Don’t Know’ (or to give it its fitting shop background muzak name, ‘I Don’t Bleep Know’) is a terrible failure as satire, because it’s so fucking obvious (we’ve been here before somewhere down below with The Streets, and with Bloc Party – ‘What’s that? You want you second album to be about the way you’ve dealt with the fame you’ve encountered from your first album? What a wonderful idea!’). This kind of thing can be done, Weller did it perfectly well back in the tender days of the trio, but when it’s done badly, god it’s awful, and this is awful, and it’s worse than that because those first songs were nothing at all like this, Lily Allen was, for a little while, a glorious musical incarnation of Emily Lloyd running and skipping down the boardwalk shouting ‘up your bum’ (with all of the family ties that she had too, come to think of it) but then… well, maybe that was a better analogy than I’d imagined. I’ll get my coat.
July 20, 2009
July 21, 2009 at 5:27 am
I loved Lily’s first album. In my head at least it was The Specials to Kate Nash’s Madness (how Specials was Lily’s Friday Night? And LDN reminds me of The Specials with Rhoda). I’m hoping Kate’s next offering doesn’t go down the same route. Though with her I suspect she’s going to get more Indie (with a capital I) rather than more record company. Hope so anyway.
It’s the way of things though, and has been for ever probably. Great first album that’s been created under relaxed ‘doing it for the love of it’ conditions. Second album, up steps the cocaine and the record company interference and the hangers on and the endless tours and promotions. I’d be sick of the sight of myself after all of that and want to go and do gardening or something.
July 21, 2009 at 8:02 am
up your bum is still my raise a glass phrase or saying of choice. and the first line of ldn is right up there with greatest first lines in pop. and even the musics gone rubbish on the new ones
x
July 21, 2009 at 8:10 am
I loved Emily Lloyd in the “up your bum” film, which I can’t remember the name of but I know you’ll know..and the analogy is perfect. I don’t get the Lily Allen thing at all…smug, self satisfied and with her head completely inserted where our Emily suggested it should be.
July 21, 2009 at 8:29 am
It’s ‘Wish You Were Here’, and for all of the ‘up your bum’ it’s a pretty bleak film – very mid 80s Film On Four. I was actually disappointed when I realised that this bland nonsense I’d been hearing left right and centre was Lily Allen, it felt like a real let-down, although i was very very pleased that it wasn’t Kate Nash, who I know you’re a big fan of, and who has always been much better.
July 21, 2009 at 9:21 am
Thank you x
and you’re right..I much prefer Kate Allen
July 25, 2009 at 1:09 am
i’m a bit late here, but i wonder if you’ve heard any of the doctor rosen rosen remixes of lil’s album. it takes the smug out of the music and actually imbues a bit of real emotion to the songs. it’s an inspired project to say the least.