On "Alright, Still," her 2006 debut, Lily Allen had most of us at the first F-bomb, the rest when she rhymed "Tesco" with "al fresco." Cute and cheeky, smart and less shallow than she might have first appeared, Allen harked back to The Specials and early Blur. Cuts such as "LDN" candy-coated cynical sentiments in sweet, bouncy pop. ...more

February 26, 2009

MARGOT & THE NUCLEAR SO AND SO'S: NOT ANIMAL (EPIC) *** Margot & the Nuclear So and So's completed about two dozen songs for this, its second album. The band's label, Epic, chose one version, "Not Animal," while the band's, "Animal!" is available on vinyl. ...more

November 6, 2008

27 DRESSES *½ "27 Dresses" is so chock full of romantic-comedy cliches, it almost plays like a parody. ...more

January 17, 2008

Dear Abby: As you know, when students are in their last year of high school, their minds start wandering to other places - college, careers, marriage, etc. But my daughter is the complete opposite. ...more

December 23, 2007