In 2009, wily pop star Lily Allen released her magnum opus It’s Not Me, It’s You. It was campy and searing and irreverent and honest. Sixteen years later, she’s come full circle with an album that’s completely different, but just as significant (upon first listen). West End Girl‘s closer “Fruityloops” finds Allen coming to terms with the devastation of a relationship whirlwind. “It’s not me, it’s you/ It’s what you’ve always done, it’s what you’ll do,” she sings during the slinky bossa nova chorus. West End Girl isn’t as energized or cheeky as It’s Not Me, It’s You, but it is her strongest and most cohesive album since. Here, Allen trades in diverse, playful soundscapes for woozy and cinematic compositions that emphasize her brutal lyrical revelations.
