Not a stranger when it comes to telling it like it is, Lily Allen has always been candid when it came to her music and songwriting. I remember being young when she made her debut with her iconic 2006 album Alright, Still, and I had never heard music so wry, nuanced and above all; honest.
West End Girl harkens back to this era of Allen where she pulls the curtain to the floor and allows us to relive her innermost private feelings and experiences throughout the last 3 years of her marriage.
Lily Allen and her ex-husband David Harbour. Credit: Gareth Cattermole/Getty
To call this album “honest” is wildly understating some of the content of the songs, which have sparked much media controversy, but it is also deeply raw and emotional, reminiscent of her earlier works.
Sonically the album is masterful, blending genres, whilst maintaining a through-line of cohesion throughout the 14 tracks. In true Lily Allen fashion she doesn’t shy away from sharing her thoughts, and the captivating and melodic way she has done so on this piece can be considered indelible.
Music is a very pivotal way we as humans connect, and being able to relate to a song, or have a shared experience with an artist, is what sets some music apart from the rest.
It’s no coincidence that albums like Ariana Grande’s Eternal Sunshine and Charli XCXs album BRAT, have quickly become iconised, a lot in part due to their very honest approach to their songwriting, discussing topics like maternal yearning and relationship breakdowns that listeners can relate to.
It would be neglectful of me not to address that a lot of the current attention the album is receiving can be attributed to our very human infatuation with scandal, and fascination with celebrity lives. The way Allen has chosen to expose parts of her breakup has also opened her up to judgement on a more personal level, and can be an example of the fine line an artist walks when sharing their own experiences.
However I for one believe West End Girl is truth-telling at its rawest. The album still delivers a euphonious sound, while the exposing songwriting is the main apparatus through which we experience a part of her world.
West End Girl by Lily Allen, $32.99. Shop here.
By expressing her truth so openly throughout this piece, Lily has created some of her best work and I am loving every listen.
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