Hits/Covered Up: Womanly Lily Allen

Interrupting the best of 2008 countdown posts, here's my first "regular" music post in a while. As I plan on having more frequent updates (not having to upload music works cuts down the preparation time significantly!), I've gotten rid of the numbering of posts. I'm pretty attached to the categories and labels I've already started, so I won't be revamping those, but you might see some new ones pop up and others fade out. I've been a bit out of the loop as far as updating readers, so some features might be a bit recycled for a while, but bear with me and eventually I'll have my old edge back.

To kick things off, British tabloid darling Lily Allen has at last resumed her musical career, and pop fans everywhere are loving the results. The first single released from her upcoming album, the cheekily-titled It's Not Me, It's You, "The Fear" is easily her best. It may not be a fresh soundclash like her debut smash "Smile," but her lyrics are sharper than ever. Ridiculing the money-fueled, glam-focused celebrity example, it's a hilariously cynical and immediately resonant take on our modern culture. Eschewing her debut record's pop/ska fusion for a slick, futuristic electropop flavor, producer Greg Kurstin (the man behind Kylie Minogue's "Wow" among other pop classics) does an amazing job of updating Lily's sound without washing her sass out of the equation. Out in early February, It's Not Me, It's You is definitely on my list of new music to check out. If you're looking for some quick fun, try playing the online game "Escape The Fear" on Lily's website (see the link below the playlist at the bottom of this post).

Always outspoken, especially for her harsh criticisms of fellow pop stars and celebrities, Lily surprised reporters by recently declaring her love for Britney Spears. Taking her unexpected fondness to a new level, she released an in-studio live cover of Britney's massive comeback hit "Womanizer" online. Stripping it back to acoustics and piling on her well-known, heavily-accented Brit flair, it's a smooth, sultry revision that unmasks the tracks true merits. Props to Lily for the unlikely achievement, and congrats to the song's writers for crafting a track that can hold its own even without the original's high-power production.

Links:
Lily Allen's official website
"Escape The Fear" interactive online game

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