Sheezus

Lily Allen's third album, Sheezus comes five years after her critically acclaimed 2009 release, It's Not Me, It's You. This lengthy gap came after she decided to concentrate on her family life and went on a self-imposed musical hiatus, which lasted until 2012 when she entered the studio with producer Greg Kurstin. The album's title is a playful nod to Kanye West's 2013 album Yeezus, and first single "Hard Out Here" sets the outspoken pop singer's tone on the record. ~ Scott Kerr|

At her best, Lily Allen operates just at the edge of a crowd, slyly and snidely passing judgment from a safe distance. That sense of remove remains on Sheezus, her overdue third album, but she's no longer an observer; she's an outsider longing to be inside. Blame it on her extended hiatus. Allen lay silent for a half decade, choosing to pursue a family life instead of the pop charts, but now that she's primed for a comeback, she's ready to ruffle some feathers, baiting Kanye West with her album title, sweetening M.I.A.'s style for "Air Balloon," and taking swipes at Rihanna, Katy Perry, Beyonce, Lorde, and Lady Gaga on the album's title track. The subtext is clear: Allen is no provincial pop star; she belongs in the big leagues. There are glints of Lily's satirical swagger and casual craft, but Sheezus also finds her sneering at and borrowing from modern R&B ("Silver Spoon," "Hard Out Here"), while also finding her writing many songs about her husband, warning all other females to not give him so much as a second look ("L8 Cmmr"). The best moments come unexpectedly: "Insincerely Yours" slides along to a yacht-soul groove, "Life for Me" cleverly twists Vampire Weekend's Graceland obsessions, and although the target of an Internet troll is beneath her, the barbs on "URL Badman" are sharpened. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

カニエ・ウェスト『Yeezus』をもじった表題でツカミはOK ! UKポップ界のお騒がせ娘が、結婚・育児休暇のブランクをものともせず、センセーショナルな3作目を投下しますよ。スッカスカのエレクトロ・チューンも、どことなく90sっぽいR&Bナンバーも、ロッキン・カントリーもドリーム・ポップもダブステップもカリプソも……何でもござれ。そんなコロコロと表情を変えていくオケ上で、家事の愚痴、セレブ批判、ライヴァルのこと、夫とのノロケ話など、さまざまなトピックを取り上げていきます。固有名詞もバンバン飛び出すリリックは相も変わらず毒気たっぷりなのですが、あくまで歌声には清涼感があって(オートチューン使いも効果的)、その温度差にゾクゾク!ワン&オンリーぶりを改めて提示したね!
bounce (C)山西絵美