My latest inexplicable obsession, which came totally out of nowhere, is Lily Allen. It’s not like I saw a video or heard it on the radio. I found it on the web. I guess there’s been some buzz because her new song, called “Fuck You Very Much,” is getting a bit of attention. But here’s the thing – other than the saucy title and wondering how radio might approach it, the song is GOOD! Very good! When I think about my music tastes, I don’t think that a little British princess who sings ska/pop/dance tunes would really be up my alley, but I guess my alley just got a little wider.

So, after hearing that track, I explored. She only has one album, but there are a couple of doozies on there. What is happening to me? Is there something there, or is it just me on a tangent for a couple of weeks? I’m curious to hear everyone’s thoughts on this girl. The song that jumped out at me was “Alfie,” a song about her lazy, stoner brother who spends all day in his room smoking pot and playing video games. I’d post the audio link here, but the video she made for it is way better:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRX57zprNdw

OK, so now that you have a slight sense of what she’s about, why is it that when most Brits sing, their accent disappears? This has been a long-standing question in my head that has never been answered. The amount of Brits whose accents don’t disappear when they sing seems very very small. Lily Allen is one of them. Her accent is strong and true in her singing. Who else? Maybe Belle & Sebastian? Sandy Denny. Any others come to mind right away? Can anyone explain why this is the case?