Lily Allen’s brand of pop is wickedly sweet

‘ ‘ ‘ Although her music is straight pop, Lily Allen as a pop singer is a hard pill to swallow…. ‘ ‘ ‘ Although her music is straight pop, Lily Allen as a pop singer is a hard pill to swallow. ‘ ‘ ‘ Pop is the anti-rock, and the culture associated with it definitely lives up to its name. Popular music never struggles to top the charts. But it’s near impossible to see Lily Allen as someone winning popularity contests. ‘ ‘ ‘ From her debut album, Alright, Still, to her new album, It’s Not Me, It’s You, Allen’s straddled the line between sugar-coated pop mystique and almost vulgar, real-girl appeal. ‘ ‘ ‘ Maybe it’s the association of pop with purity ‘mdash; or the appearance of purity ‘mdash; that makes Allen not quite fit the classic definition of a pop star. Usually, any mention of relationships is sugar-coated, and there’s the excessive use of the word ‘baby’ with your divas. With Allen, it’s more along the lines of ‘@#$’amp;.’ This songstress has adult content and expletives in spades. That explicit rating is well-deserved. ‘ ‘ ‘ Case in point: track eight. There’s no covering up the vulgarity of the title, ‘F**k You.’ You can’t immediately drop the f-bomb and hold onto your coy persona. Allen takes it up a notch, giving the sentiment the proper treatment with super-high Alvin and the Chipmunks voices. But those little guys never saw the need to expand their wholesome vocabulary. ‘ ‘ ‘ The song itself is light-hearted, with bouncy piano, and the insult is sung sweetly and harmonized. ‘ ‘ ‘ Despite outward appearances and every pop trapping, Allen’s music doesn’t have that pop feel. The sweet voice, the songs about love ‘mdash; albeit the nastier side ‘mdash; and the requisite dance beat and slower, piano-backed tracks are all there. But then, there’s Lily Allen. She’s 23 years tough. ‘ ‘ ‘ Allen’s a dark-haired, foul-mouthed little Brit with the pipes of a pop singer and the attitude of a drunken sailor. ‘ ‘ ‘ She isn’t about concealing four-letter words with oh-so-clever phrases. She isn’t into ‘Mad Gab’ for pop stars. She isn’t against a little alcohol or profanity if she can express what a tool her ex-boyfriend was. All projected images of virtue are dashed as soon as Allen finishes the first verse of ‘Everyone’s At It.’ ‘ ‘ ‘ Allen puts forth her own brand of pop with songs like ‘The Fear,’ which are heavy on the dance beats and a chorus that comes out clear and sweet. ‘ ‘ ‘ The lyrics are a touch ironic, where a girl’s dream to become rich and famous in today’s world. ‘ ‘ ‘ Allen’s own stardom doesn’t fit the rise her song persona is endorsing, which mainly includes taking off her clothes and only panicking if she’s not ‘getting thinner.’ ‘ ‘ ‘ It’s Not Me is offered in a ‘clean’ version, as well as an explicit version. ‘ ‘ ‘ But what is Lily Allen without the colorful language? It’s like macaroni without cheese. What you’ll have left is just pop. And pop without an edge is about as interesting as the like-named beverage once it’s gone flat. ‘ ‘ ‘ The edge to Lily Allen’s music is herself, and all that spunky British 20-something has to offer. Without that, you just have another album about ‘bad’ boyfriends and failed relationships. ‘ ‘ ‘ Allen knows how to embellish her phrases in her native tongue. She describes the highest highs and lowest lows ‘mdash; whether your life is ‘f**king fantastic’ or you’re living in a society that’s ‘sticking shit up our noses.’ Bravo, Lily. ‘ ‘ ‘ She may not be classically elegant, but you can’t help but relate to someone who’s all for a little vocabulary padding.