Lily Allen - LDN Single Review

Lily Allen
LDN
Single Review

Whether her off-beat vocal style gives you a surge of joy, or an anger that may cause animal cruelty in later life, Lily Allen has been a shrewd woman this year, and has subsequently graced many of those summy-uppy type of lists of the most promising, successful, perhaps annoying but ultimately thrilling people of 2006. Indeed the vinyl-styled cover-art for all the singles off her debut album makes a valiant effort to further throw Allen's pop image with its connotations of disposable novelty, clean out of the water.

Cutting to the chase, I don't think 'LDN' is as good as 'Smile', but it is probably too much to ask to top the arguable single of the year. Quite frankly it doesn't matter. The song with lyrics that, when you look a little close, undermine all the wistful, carnival rhythms of its surface is a wonderful juxtaposition. Dark stories of London back streets conclude to the line of "The sun is in the sky, oh why oh why would I want to be anywhere else." Such an idea is not a new concept, used frequently, perhaps most memorably on Stereophonics 'Have a Nice Day', but credit must be given for some witty and blunt lyrical goldmines. Little old lady from Tesco -

"When a kid came along to offer a hand, but before she had time to accept it, he hits her over the head, doesn't care if she's dead 'cos he's got all her jewellery and wallet."

Jamie Curtis