From breaking through over a decade ago and becoming a household name, to titling her last album in response to Kanye West’s Yeezus, Lily Allen has just about done it all. Four years post-Sheezus, her latest offering No Shame sees Allen as a 33-year-old professional musician and mother of two, seemingly not sure where life in the public eye has left her, personally and creatively.
The themes of this album are strongly centred on the breakdown of her marriage, navigating life as a single mum, and finding where she fits into things now that she’s not the party girl she once was. This makes for a lot of pondering, and as such the songs on No Shame feel rather like the pages of a slightly disjointed diary. While the overarching content is the same, there’s certainly uplifting songs such as ‘Pushing Up Daisies’. ‘Trigger Bang’, featuring Giggs, is an absolute standout, and it’s just about the best track Allen has ever released.
The other songs are mellower and more contemplative, such as the Mark Ronson-produced ‘Family Man’. No Shame is a record that won’t grab your attention on the first listen, but the investment of repeat listens will pay dividends.
7.5/10
