But If You Look Twice You Can See It's All Lies

Lily Allen is pretty friggin awesome. It took a few listens, but I'm totally addicted to Alright, Still. It's as fun as I wanted Justin Timberlake's FutureSex/LoveSounds to be (which, apparently, is my music equivalent of Office Space - everybody else fawns over it, but for some reason I found it passable at best & not in the least remarkable). Regardless, my adoration of Alright, Still is a completely personal love with no basis whatsoever in anything resembling theory or reason. Christ, I don't even know the names of the songs, because I haven't printed a track listing. But still. I really, y'know, kinda relate to that album. It speaks to me & of me from a joyously poptastic palette. It indulges, bouncily, & it dances precariously on the precipice betwixt sunny, happy sounds & acrid, biting sentiments. Is it any wonder then that I've come to love it? The album practically is me. To paraphrase Dr. Cox, it's a creamy-coated chocolate with bastard filling. Trying to find a spot of Ms. Allen's lyrics to illustrate this is well-nigh impossible, since the whole thing is a veritable minefield of bitterness-tinged bon mots.

And even though I don't much care for Portland's Aladdin Theater as a venue due to the ponderous number of seats it contains (which might have posed an impediment to my enjoyment of the fantabulous Los Amigos Invisibles show, replete with an encore performance of Devo's "Whip It", except hardly anybody was there (what the hell, people?)), I'm so going on 28 March to see her. It's the least I can do, given that singing loudly & terribly to the CD saved my sanity on Tuesday when I was about 12 hours into a 16-hour pain(t)fest. Whether the next-door tenant, who listens an average of thrice-weekly to Fiona Apple's Tidal (could be worse - could be Ani DiFranco) & what sounds like I imagine to be emo the rest of the time, was able to maintain her sanity is a matter for debate.

I don't know anything about Ms. Allen. Don't think it really matters. What more could I possibly need to know beyond the fact that she's got a link to Stuff On My Cat on her website? She's fantastic.