Lily Allen - It's Not Me It's You

In the ultra-competitive world that we live in mega-stars need to be ahead of the game if they want to keep in the forefront of the public's attention. The media are totally ruthless in destroying artists, especially those that seem to have made a meteoric rise to fame. Artists like Madonna have continuously re-invented themselves to secure their position and Lily Allen showed signs in 2009 that she is well capable of doing the same.

Ms Allen's second album It's Not Me It's You transcended style and influences. She seemed to have moved on from her first album Alright, Still which had a much more contemporary hip hop/ rap/ indie/ ska feel to it and in stead we had a mix of electronic/ country/ vaudeville/ fairground and pure pop. With the musical accompaniment and big production many of the tracks seemed to have a feel of the past especially the 80s and 90s. If ever there was a chance that Kate Nash, or any other artist for that matter, was going to tread on her toes with their similarity, this record certainly moved the goalposts.

It's strange really, Lily Allen doesn't really sing, she talks but she is very melodic. The words are as you would expect hilarious and naughty and you certainly get value for money, no other artist seems to pack as many words into each track in such effortless fashion. There's a huge amount of self-appraisal but it's all tongue-in-cheek and playful, like on The Fear, "It doesn't matter, 'cos I'm packing plastic And that's what makes my life so f*****g fantastic."

The Fear with it's fairytale-style video was a download chart number 1 at the beginning of 2009 and further success followed with the country and western spoof Not Fair. Other really catchy tracks on the album are I Could Say, Never Gonna Happen and He Wasn't There.

In September 2009, Lily told the press that she couldn't see a way that she could ever make a profit making new records and because of this had no plans to make another album. She also said she would not be renewing her record contract and would take a two year break from performing, starting in March 2010. Apparently she is planning to launch a record label and open a fashion rental shop. Whatever happens it is to be hoped that she wont be disappearing from recording for too long as she is currently one of the most original and exciting talents around.