Recommended Albums #111

Lily Allen: West End Girl (2025)

Lily Allen returns after a seven-year musical hiatus with an emotionally direct–even blunt–breakup record.

In fact it’s so emotionally direct that we’ll make the editorial choice here of sparing you the more bruising (perhaps cringe-inducing) portions of the story, which details the demise of her relationship with American actor David Harbour.

The “palace” she refers to in multiple songs is a fairly accurate description of the house she and Harbour offered a tour of for Architectural Digest.

As a songwriter, Allen is gifted with an arch sense of humor that can mold even the emotional distress of a breakup into worthwhile entertainment, as she’s done on the highlights we include.

The parts of the album one imagines were difficult to write would also be difficult to listen to repeatedly, the pain being almost too real at times. But the musical hooks make the songs irresistible nonetheless.

Listening to the cheekily-titled highlight “4Chan Stan” is like walking in on a marital spat. Allen isn’t one to dress up pain in cliche, generality or indirect reference. The unflinching detail makes it real, immediate. It’s great songwriting, provided you have the stomach for it.

Allen has experienced tragedy and trauma of many types in her life, and it seems much of her best work was made as a response to it.

Here’s hoping there’s lots of great music ahead–informed by happier times rather than chaos.

Listen to: “4Chan Stan”

Listen to: “Nonmonogamummy”

Listen to: “Just Enough”

Listen to: “Dallas Major”

Listen to: “Fruityloop”

Every Moment Has A Song