18 July 2006
The Independent - By Chris Mugan
Girl from two streets down smiles her way to the top.
She may have worn her best frock and a tiara, but it was as the girl from two streets down that Lily Allen showed she may emerge as the real deal.
You may be forgiven for a sense of déjà vu, given the number of precocious female stars around.
Only a few weeks ago we were in the same venue for another solo artiste who debuted at No 1, the webcaster Sandi Thom. While we are having second thoughts about the Scottish singer, Allen Jnr offers a very different sound.The daughter of the actor Keith Allen achieved her own fast-moving success without coffee-house folk, instead the hit single "Smile" owed its success to garage grooves, post-baggy beats and echoes of her parents' record collections: reggae, The Specials and The Clash.
Lily may profess admiration for the confrontational stagecraft of Liam Gallagher, but she won admirers by admitting she had grown up round the corner from this former dancehall.
A constant smile didn’t hamper her easy vocal style, a combination of casual pop delivery and west London MC chat. She could hold a tune, and her newly expanded band shone - a rootsy brass trio was perfect for filling in her sample-based studio sound.
Alright, Still comes with a winning mix of bite and vulnerability.
Despite the fact she was breathless by the time "Smile" came around, the number still felt like it had become a summer staple for years to come, her mix of star quality and earthiness meant she was already on her way.
