Lily Allen has ended her seven-year music hiatus with the surprise release of her fifth album, 'West End Girl', which details her divorce from actor David Harbour. The 40-year-old singer has described the record as autofiction, telling British Vogue that while it references her marriage, 'that's not to say that it's all gospel'. Harbour, known for his role in 'Stranger Things', has not responded to the album's contents.
The album has garnered widespread critical acclaim, with four-star reviews from The Guardian, The Telegraph, and the Daily Mail, and a five-star review from The Independent. Critics have praised the 'striking prettiness of the tunes' and the narrative tension that allows listeners to 'share in Allen's claustrophobia and paranoia'. The Daily Mail compared it to classic breakup albums like Fleetwood Mac's 'Rumours' and Amy Winehouse's 'Back to Black'.
However, some reviews have been sharply personal. The Times' headline read 'You almost feel sorry for David Harbour', while the Financial Times gave a 2/5 review, accusing Allen of 'a hollow performance'. Allen herself acknowledged her fraught relationship with the media, telling Perfect magazine: 'I don't make it easy for myself, do I?'
Fan response has been overwhelmingly positive, with viral social media posts comparing the album to Lorde's 'Melodrama'. Allen has not announced any tour dates and has not performed live since 2019. She recently stepped away from her BBC podcast 'Miss Me?' to focus on new projects, presumably including this album.
