It's Not Me, It's You
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It's Not Me, It's You is the second studio album by British alternative singer-songwriter Lily Allen. It was released in the United Kingdom on February 9, 2009, and on February 10 in North America.
Background
In April 2008, Allen announced that she was moving in a "new direction" on her upcoming record.[1]
Allen recorded most of the album at Eagle Rock Studios in Los Angeles with producer Greg Kurstin of the band The Bird and the Bee.[2] Of the songwriting process, she said "Greg builds the chords up and I just sing along and make up the words and then once you've got the bare song, we decide which way we're gonna go with the production."[3]
MySpace demos
Prior to the album's release, Allen posted a number of demos on her MySpace page.[4] The first two to appear were "I Could Say" and "I Don't Know" on March 20 2008, the latter of which was retitled and released as the album's lead single, "The Fear". Based on the first two demos, Digital Spy described her new artistic direction as more mature, more reflective and more electronic.[5]
A third, politically charged clip was later posted, with the titles "Guess Who Batman" and later "Get With the Brogram", finally appearing as "GWB". Despite both working titles sharing initials with George W. Bush, Allen wrote that "this song is not a direct attack at anyone, it was originally written about the BNP in the UK but then I felt this issue has become relevant pretty much everywhere, we are the youth, we can make coolness for our future, its up to us. Go green and hate hate".[6] The song was retitled "Fuck You" for the album version.
Allen posted a fourth song on her MySpace page, called "Who'd of Known", noting that the song had been recorded for the album but would not be included due to legal issues since the chorus is musically similar to the Take That song "Shine".[7] However, Take That later did allow Allen to include the song on the album (now titled grammatically correctly as "Who'd Have Known").[7]
On the 2nd February, Lily posted all 12 tracks from her album to listen to on her MySpace profile page.
Release
In May 2008, Allen told The Sunday Mirror that the album was nearly finished. Allen said of the album "I've worked so hard. My next album is nearly finished. I'm on a two-week break and then I'm starting a massive promotional tour."[8]
In August 2008, Allen blamed the delay in the album's release on her record label EMI/Parlophone.[9] On September 15, it was announced via her MySpace blog that the album will be released on February 9, 2009.[10]
In July 2008, the working title of the album was confirmed as Stuck on the Naughty Step.[3] On October 7 at the BMI Awards, Allen announced that the album title had been changed to It's Not Me, It's You, due to the fact that she "lived with [the original title] for too long" and got bored of the original title.
On October 29 Allen announced the album will be released in the United States release date on February 10, 2009. The track listings were also released. She described the sound as bigger and a more ethereal sound. She noted she has grown as a person and feels the album will have some sort of integrity.[2]
On 19 December, a 12 track promotional samplers were sent out to various blogs and online stores, to review ahead of the album's release.
On 20 December, British newspaper The Sun gave away a free 7 track album mini-mix, as part of the ongoing promotion schedule by EMI. The mini-mix included "Everyone's At It" and "The Fear", as well as 4 previously unheard studio versions of "Not Fair", "22", "Never Gonna Happen" and "Fuck You".
On December 23, music magazine NME have confirmed that the exclusive first play of the album will be available days before its physical release on their website.
The album was released digitally in the UK on 8th February, the eve of its physical release.
In its first week of release in the UK, It's Not Me, It's You sold 112,568 albums making it go to Number 1 instantly.
Critical response
It's Not Me, It's You has been met with good reviews from critics. Reviewing for The Observer, Garry Mulholland awarded the album five out of five, calling this a "wonderful record," and added that it is "a pop album brave enough to have a go at defining the times."[11] Clash concluded: "Britain’s mouthy pop idol returns triumphantly and with the brawny guts to stick with what she knows best", after commenting that Allen "probably has enough personal ammunition to fuel a ten-year career of brutally autobiographical albums". [12] Mikael Wood of Billboard stated the album is "hardly the grown-up buzz-kill it might have been", according with him, it was thanks to "Allen's still-sharp lyrical wit and an exceedingly crafty production job by Greg Kurstin." Wood also praised in particular the track "Him", calling it as a "irresistible tune".[13]
The album was favourably reviewed by The Telegraph. Reviewer Neil McCormick praised her more personal songs on the album; "It is when she turns her sharp tongue to her own affairs of the heart that Allen's growing adventurousness and lyrical confidence really pay off....But in particular Who'd Have Known is a tender evocation of friendship turning to love, in which the detail is telling and Allen's vocal performance positively glows with easy affection. On such songs, Allen still sounds like a real person telling us the most intimate details of her real life, only with better hooks." McCormick also praised the lead single, as "superb" and "an ironic declaration of celebrity superficiality set to a pulsing, sleekly modern electro dance backing."[14]
Tour
On 28 January 2009, Allen played a one-off exclusive intimate sold-out gig at Koko, London, ahead of the album's release. Days after the release of tickets for KOKO, Allen announced a extensive European tour, starting in Glasgow on 14th March, and ending on 8 May. In an interview published in NME's Christmas edition, Allen stated this would be the only European tour she would embark on for the album promotion. Allen confirmed in January's issue of Billboard magazine that her US tour would in fact be 20 dates, commencing April 1st.[15]
On 8 January 2009 Allen announced yet another exclusive gig at Gloucester Guildhall to take place on 26 January 2009, coinciding with the single release of "The Fear" and intended specifically for the residents of the Gloucestershire county, with ticketholders needing to provide proof of address for purchase.[16] Tickets for this event also sold out within the hour.[17]
To support the album further Allen will hold 32 concerts across Europe and North America, the tour will start in Glasgow (March 14th) and end in Melbourne, Australia (June 13th). All tour dates were announced via Allen's MySpace Blog and website.[18]
Singles
- "The Fear": Allen stated on her official website that Fear was the chosen song for the lead single. The song had its radio premiere via on The Scott Mills Show on December 1, 2008. The song's official music video had its premiere on December 4 at Channel 4, but it was leaked before the official release date, it was uploaded on YouTube 2 hours before the official premiere.[19] It had 200 views before the premiere. Although Parlophone's official YouTube account uploaded it on December 3. It was released on European iTunes on December 4 and at the United States iTunes, the song later became Lily's second number 1 in the UK, climbing a massive 167 places to the top spot.
- "Not Fair": It's has been confirmed that "Not Fair" will be the second release from It's Not Me, It's You, although no release date has been confirmed. "Not Fair" was played by DJ Ken Bruce on BBC Radio 2 days before the release of the album, and was heavily edited to 02:04, removing the line "Oh I lie here in the wet patch in the middle of the bed, I'm feeling pretty damn hard done by, I've spent ages giving head".
Other Songs
- "Everyone's at It": The song was rumored to be the lead single from the album.[20] The song was not released as the lead single, the song The Fear was released instead, but the song received considerate attention by airing on YouTube. The music video was in production in November 2008 (Lily posted a photo from shooting on a MySpace blog) but is rumoured to have been postponed for "The Fear".
- "Womanizer (Britney Spears cover)": On December 13, 2008 Allen revealed a cover of Britney Spears' hit single, "Womanizer". When asked Allen stated Spears was a "goddess" and that her new album is "amazing". Lily said about the cover song "We did it for fun with the guys (producers) in the studio, it was really great and fun."[21] It can be heard on Parlophone's official YouTube channel. This song is not on the album It's Not Me, It's You.
- "Fuck You": Although not being released as a single, the track handled it to peak at number 9 on the Czech Airplay Chart and 198 in European Charts, under the demo name "Guess Who Batman".[22] The song also has received much airplay on Australian radio station, Triple J, and charted at #90 on the 2008 Triple J Hottest 100. This resulted in it charting at #35 on the ARIA top 40 digital charts for the week beginning 16th Feb 2009.[23]
International versions
- "Everyone's at It": The Japanese version of It's Not Me, It's You features a different version to the opening track "Everyone's at It". In the final instrumental section before the closing of the track, a new mix features, with new sound effects and beat, compared to the UK's version of a continuous beat.
- "Fuck You": An alternate censored version was released mostly on iTunes. It was first released for a preview of the pre-ordering of the album, later the full version was released on an digital EP release to promote the album's lead single "The Fear". It is censored when the word "fuck" is said by Allen. It's replaced with silly sounds like horses, flop sounds used on cartoons and others. It has the same length of the normal version.
Track listing
All tracks are written by Lily Allen and Greg Kurstin, except where noted
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Everyone's at It" | 4:38 |
| 2. | "The Fear" | 3:27 |
| 3. | "Not Fair" | 3:21 |
| 4. | "22" | 3:06 |
| 5. | "I Could Say" | 4:04 |
| 6. | "Back to the Start" | 4:14 |
| 7. | "Never Gonna Happen" | 3:27 |
| 8. | "Fuck You" | 3:43 |
| 9. | "Who'd Have Known" (Allen, Kurstin, Take That) | 3:50 |
| 10. | "Chinese" | 3:28 |
| 11. | "Him" | 3:18 |
| 12. | "He Wasn't There" | 2:51 |
Bonus tracks
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 13. | "Kabul Shit" | 3:45 |
| 14. | "Fag Hag" | 2:57 |
| 15. | "The Fear" (enhanced music video) |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 13. | "The Fear (acoustic)" (UK iTunes and US bonus track) | 3:26 |
| 14. | "He Wasn't There (acoustic)" (US pre-order only bonus track) | 2:50 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 13. | "Who'd Have Known (acoustic)" (Exclusive to UK customers who ordered through Play.com) | 3:49 |
- The Enhanced CD version includes an acoustic version of "22" as well as samples from each track to be made into remixes that will be put on Lily Allen's website.
Release history
| Country | Date |
|---|---|
| Japan[24] | February 4, 2009 |
| Ireland | February 6, 2009 |
| Germany[25] | |
| Italy | |
| Spain | |
| Australia | February 7, 2009 |
| United Kingdom (Digital) | February 8, 2009 |
| United Kingdom (Physical) | February 9, 2009 |
| France | |
| New Zealand | |
| Netherlands | |
| United States | February 10, 2009 |
| Canada | |
| Finland | February 11, 2009 |
| Brazil[26] | February 19, 2009 |
| Latin America | February 21, 2009 |
Charts and certifications
| Chart (2009)[27][28] | Provider(s) | Peak position |
Certification | Sales/Shipments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australian Albums Chart | ARIA | 1 | Platinum | 70,000+ |
| Austrian Albums Chart | IFPI | 21 | — | — |
| Belgian (Flanders) Albums Chart | 5 | — | — | |
| Belgian (Wallonia) Albums Chart | 22 | — | — | |
| Canadian Albums Chart | Nielsen SoundScan | 1 | — | — |
| Dutch Albums Chart | IFPI | 29 | — | — |
| European Albums Chart | 2 | — | — | |
| French Albums Chart | SNEP | 11 | — | — |
| German Albums Chart | Media Control | 17 | — | — |
| Irish Albums Chart | IRMA | 3 | — | — |
| Japanese Albums Chart | RIAJ | 27 | — | — |
| Mexico Top 100 | AMPROFON | 50 | — | — |
| New Zealand Albums Chart | RIANZ | 9 | — | — |
| Norwegian Albums Chart | IFPI | 28 | — | — |
| Sweden Albums Chart | 14 | — | — | |
| Swiss Albums Chart | 6 | — | — | |
| UK Albums Chart | BPI | 1 | Gold | 225,000+ |
| U.S. Billboard 200 | RIAA | 5 | — | 125,000+ |
References
- ^ "Yagga Yo". Lily Allen official site blog archive.
- ^ a b Lily Allen announces US release of second album. NME, 29 October, 2008
- ^ a b "Lily Allen gets 'Naughty' on new album". NME. 2008-07-01. Retrieved 2008-12-10.
- ^ Romano, Tricia (2008-10-01). "In the Studio: Lily Allen". Blender. Retrieved 2009-01-03.
- ^ Nick Levine (2008-04-22). "Are Lily Allen's new songs any good?". Digital Spy. Retrieved 2008-12-10.
- ^ Leah Collins (2008-06-23). "Lily Allen 'Makes Coolness for our Future' -- whatever that means -- with New Track". Dose.ca. Retrieved 2008-12-10.
- ^ a b "Lily Allen: 'I accidentally flashed my breasts at Blur's Damon Albarn'". NME. 2008-12-08. Retrieved 2008-12-10.
- ^ "Lily Allen close to completing second album". NME.com. 2008-05-18. Retrieved 2008-12-10.
- ^ Zoe Blackler (2008-08-19). "Lily Allen hits out at EMI over album delay". Times Online. Retrieved 2008-12-10.
- ^ Jason Gregory (2008-12-08). "Lily Allen: 'Amy Winehouse Given Hard Time By Media'". Gigwise.com. Retrieved 2008-12-10.
- ^ Garry Mulholland (2008-01-18). "Pop review: Lily Allen, It's Not Me, It's You". Guardian Media Group. guardian.co.uk. Retrieved 2009-01-22.
- ^ Natasha Arico (2009-01-23). "CD Album Review: Lily Allen, 'It's Not Me, It's You'". Retrieved 2009-01-27.
- ^ Mikael Wood (2009-02-14). "It's Not Me, It's You". Billboard. Retrieved 2009-02-24.
- ^ Lily Allen ? It's Not Me, It's You: Pop CD of the week review The Telegraph. 26 January 2009
- ^ http://capitolpub.net/assets/lily_allen/its_not_me_its_you/Billboard-Lily_Allen_cover_2009-01-17-sm.pdf
- ^ http://www.thisisgloucestershire.co.uk/gloucestershireheadlines/Smile-Lily-Allen-coming-Gloucester/article-596947-detail/article.html
- ^ http://soglos.com/music/28812/Lily-Allen-at-Gloucester-Guildhall
- ^ [www.lilyallenmusic.com/lily/tourdates]
- ^ Lily Allen - Fear, Youtube.com
- ^ Nick Levine (2008-10-24). "Lily Allen's at it again". Digital Spy. Retrieved 2008-12-10.
- ^ "Lily Allen cover 'Womanizer' by Britney Spears". Britney Spears Blackout. 2008-13-12. Retrieved 2008-15-12.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=and|date=(help) - ^ http://www.ifpicr.cz/hitparada/index.php?a=titul&hitparada=2&titul=146284&sec=5d4ad6088a5d4d5371943fe557440667
- ^ http://www.ariacharts.com.au/pages/charts_display_digital.asp?chart=1DT40
- ^ It's Not Me, It's You Neowing. Retrieved on 2009-2-3.
- ^ http://www.emimusic.de/produkt/3252783,5099969427527/lily_allen-its_not_me_its_you#1
- ^ http://www.livrariacultura.com.br/scripts/musica/resenha/resenha.asp?nitem=15001438&sid=15310012911243249837374&k5=19FE0AD8&uid=
- ^ http://lescharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Lily+Allen&titel=It%27s+Not+Me%2C+It%27s+You&cat=a
- ^ http://acharts.us/album/41747