Kate Nash - My Best Friend Is You (2010)

Artist: Kate Nash
Album: My Best Friend is You
Date Released: April 20, 2010
Genre: Indie/Pop

Album Review:

You can smell a Brit from miles away. Kate Nash reeks of it. But it's what got her where she is, and on My Best Friend Is You, she embraces that part of her which nabbed so many young fans from the start. The sound on this album is, regrettably, much more produced and theatrical, almost to a Florence and Machine level. Which I don't mind, I just wasn't expecting it. I was expecting some girl in a toy dress playing on a piano with a mic laying nearby, just happening to pick up the songs she was playing. It was like her music to this point was all accidental, it had no direction but was cute and attractive.

Not so here. Here, the songs are more professional, with an odd 'mid-life crisis' theme (does this fit a 22 year old girl, really?). There's definitely still that childish aspect to the songs to be sure, and the British (sexy?) accent is still there and everything. In fact, I think overproduction just comes to anyone with success in the end. Am I embarrassed, now that I review something really poppy? Naw. She's too hot for me to bother anyways...

Because it's a solo artist, I find the lyrics to be of more focus here, so you will notice that in the song-by-song. The theme of the album seems to be a lover who left, leaving Nash destroyed. Replay of Ashlee Simpson anyone?

Rating: 7 out of 10

Song-by-song:

Paris: with upbeat stringed instruments and clapping hands, this is the happiest into i've ever heard!! And her voice is right on key here. Lyrically, it involved a plea for someone to guide her and spend time with her. Phooey, I would if I could!

Kiss That Grrrl: Except for poor spelling, this song is one of my favorites. Cheesy message, really (kiss that girl and I will shrink up and I will die, yeah yeah we know) but it's got that cute Kate Nash sound. Good two songs so far!

Don't You Want to Share the Guilt?: The first lines, I imagine, are what an average girl thinks up in her head prior to going to some social event; i'm insecure, should I go, i'll go late, I arrive and the guy is hung over and whatever. Low-key.

I Just Love You More: This song starts out like some weird Benny Benassi remix gone wrong, but then gets really chaotic very fast. Nash does this little scream thing, which I find extremely sexy for some reason (I know, I KNOW...), but the song is kind of hectic. Anyways, it's a good fit for the album.

Do-Wah-Doo: Here's that cute Kate Nash! Simple piano, and a cute message behind it.

Take Me to a Higher Plane: A really upbeat song, describing a desire to move upwards to bigger and better things

I've Got a Secret: In the beginning, I thought the tempo was increasing, like some wind up dance box...just my imagination...This one got old on me, but it's catchy if anything....KAte Nash has a secret basically.

Mansion Song: This song starts with a minute long poem with quite a number of F-bombs...I usually grow tired of post-modern poetry. A really hateful song. I just liked hearing her talk to be honest, otherwise this one's worthy of one listen, one alone, and a skip.

Early Christmas Present: HERE WE GO..something more positive...or is it? A song about cheating? Needless to say, it is a happier song off the album, tonally if not lyrically.

Later On: Kate Nash gets laid and regrets it later. Are all Brits this hollow?

Pickpocket: There's than fun piano again! Another sad story of a couple who split and move on....but Nash is good at mixing happy and sad, like Radiohead I must say.

You Were So Far Away: Suicide expressed: "I can taste the metal, feel the gun in my mouth"...at least she's good at guitar and piano, i'll give her that for talent. I feel so bummed out by this album.

I Hate Seagulls: And I hate unnecessarily long songs. But the song has a neat progression from everything Nash hates, to the climax, where she describes her good friend whom she likes...I happy ending to the album. Well done Nash. I haven't slit my wrists yet.