Auburn Petty – Editor-in-Chief

Rating: 3 Stars

Kate Nash, a singer from London, England, released her third album, My Best Friend is You on April 19, 2010. Her debut album, Foundations was popular in both the UK and the United States. Her sophomore album, Made of Bricks, was a huge success in the UK, skyrocketing to No. 1 on the charts. My Best Friend is You presents listeners with varied styles of music, some that work, some that don’t.

1. “Paris” - This is a really upbeat song to start the record with. I love Nash’s voice and her accent. Although the lyrics aren’t exactly happy (“You’ll never listen to me”), I really like the song. It’s really catchy. This is seriously the first time I’ve heard the song, and I’m singing along with the chorus.
2. “Kiss That Grrl” - This song has a really old fashioned feel to it, mostly because of the drum tones, I think. It’s a song about jealousy — really easily relatable. I feel like the lyrics can be related to those of Taylor Swift’s “You Belong With Me,” but Nash’s song is much different. It has kind of the oldies beach music feel to it. I really like it. I definitely recommend this song.
3. “Don’t You Want to Share the Guilt?” - This song is really long. The intro is a little long and kind of awkward, but the lyrics are really meaningful. I’m not the biggest fan of the song thus far. The music itself is really repetitive, and there really isn’t a melody. I feel like Nash is trying to make another “Foundations,” but she just can’t pull it off. …The song is way too long for its own good.
4. “I Just Love You More” – It kind of annoys me that the first lines of the song are “I just love you more” over and over. Then she screams…and then she says “I just love you more” some more. There really is no substance to this song. I can’t grasp the fact that the only words she uses are “I just love you more” and the occasional “than anything.” I’m dumfounded…and I want to press the skip button. Seriously, this doesn’t happen that often.
5. “Do Wah Doo” – This is the current single off the album. I’m so glad this song is good. It kind of serves as a redeemer for the last song. This is the kind of stuff Nash needs to keep doing. This is definitely the style that works for her — kind of old fashioned, snarky lyrics. This is a really cute song. I like it. You will too. “I think she’s a bitch.” Perfect ending, I’d say.
6. “Take Me to a Higher Plain” – When the vocals start, it kind of reminds me of a Kimya Dawson song, so I was immediately partial to this song. I really like the screaming of the lyrics in this song. I hated it in “I Just Love You More,” but it actually works this time. The song is kind of crazy and all over the place, but I really like it. It’s a good song for playing in a car with the windows rolled down, I think. Listen to it and let me know what you think.
7. “I’ve Got a Secret” – I simply cannot figure out what happens to the tempo in the beginning of the song. Oh no. It sounds like this is going to be another repeitive song. Except, this time, she’s saying “I’ve got a secret. I can’t tell you. You would judge.” Please, spare me. Is it really that hard to make up some more lyrics? The drums are making me crazy. I really don’t know what to think of this song.
8. “Mansion Song” – This is really intense. It’s spoken word. I really think she’s coming from a deep place with this track, but the overuse of the F-bomb is a little overwhelming. Definitely not for children. Wait, now it’s a real song, and it’s pretty cool. The beat is kind of Bjork-esque, and I love it. This is a crazy track. I’m a fan — in a weird way. If cussing offends you, don’t bother with this track, but I like it.
9. “Early Christmas Present” – I love the beat and the melody to this song, even though this is about a cheater. I really like it when she does songs like this one. It’s a really upbeat song with really intense and heated lyrics, somewhat like the popular single “Foundations.” Definitely download this one.
10. “Later On” – I really like this song. I’m kind of finding out that the Kate Nash songs that I actually like are kind of sad songs with an awesome beat. She’s really good at mixing spoken word songs with a melody, so instead of talking, she’s kind of … sing-talking? She’s not rapping, but I think you guys understand what I mean. If not, listen to this song, and you’ll find out. I like it.
11. “Pickpocket” – I really like the piano in the beginning. I kind of wish there wasn’t a break between the piano beat because it kind of throws off the lyrics, which I know if probably the point, but it sounds kind of weird. I like the song as a whole though. I think I’m just in a really cynical mood today. You should download the song.
12. “You Were So Far Away” – Oh, I like this song. It kind of reminds me of Cat Power…and I love Cat Power. Sorry for so many references. If you haven’t heard of the people I’m talking about, look them up. They’re awesome. I really like this song. You should download it.
13. “I Hate Seagulls” – I can really see myself listening to this song on a really mellow day. It’s seriously a list of things that Nash hates, and then it’s a list of things she likes. It’s a really soft-spoken song, and the melody is really pretty, especially once she starts naming things that she likes. I think this is my favorite song on the record, which is weird because it’s a slow song, and they’re normally not my favorite. Download it pretty, pretty please.
14. “My Best Friend is You” (Hidden Track) – This track is hidden in “I Hate Seagulls” at about the seven minute mark. It’s the title track of the album, and it’s worth the wait. It’s a simplistic song, and I like it. It’s really short, but it’s cute. Since you should download “I Hate Seagulls,” you’ll end up getting this song anyways.