Pixie Lott - Young, Foolish, Happy


Once upon a time (some point in early 2009) there came a moment where Shaun Collins thought "yes, yes this girl is just what pop needs". Whether this was an abridging of my heterosexual tendencies remains a mystery, although an FHM cover didn't exactly hinder her chances - and to be fair I thought exactly the same thing about VV Brown and look how that turned out. Skip forward two years and what were some very fine-indeed singles along the lines of 'Mama Do' and 'Turn It Up' have been replaced, like much of British pop, by the unfathomable urgency to become nocturnal and 'party'. Y-fucking-awn.

Taking an album title from the 1968 Tams song of the same name, though, Lott demonstrates a prerequisite for various Motown, soul and classic R&B influences on this, her sophomore album. So whilst the use of the clubs in promotional capacities is to be understood from a marketing point of view, maybe it would be unfair to write Lott off as the product of executive remoulding. Certainly the album begins with promise - 'Come Get It Now' showcases an unedited, subtle and suggestive Pixie with an, admittedly lagging and uneventful, R&B flirtation - but single 'All About Tonight' brushes over all of her influences with a boring, thick sludge.


Vocally there's surprises abound on 'What Do You Take Me For?' with an unusual blend of synths and jazz instrumentations - guest Pusha T pushing it further towards a modern twist - but her shrillness suggests a defiance to conform to the husky pop princess she's surely being forced to become. A weak hook surfaces on 'Nobody Does It Better' but again she's vocally faultless, and when compared to her performances to come you'd probably best off savour that. 'Kiss the Stars', you see, is a flagrant rehash of Katy Perry soullessness (sample of choice here being quite similar to Firework) that posits Lott uncomfortably into some robotic elasticity.

She may secure a harmonica solo from Stevie Wonder on, er... 'Stevie on the Radio', but it never rises above 'alright', and as much as I want to defend her vocal ability it feels quite strained on the bleak romantic ballad 'Everybody Hurts Sometimes' - although a fine arrangement puts it miles ahead of other tracks. In the second of two not-as-good-as-other-songs-of-the-same-name events, 'Dancing On My Own' boasts lyrical masteries such as "They say it's supposed to make the heart grow fonder/ From all I can tell it couldn't be wronger". It has a fairly pleasant hook but again it's just...eh. "You bring out the worst in me" she invites on 'Love You to Death' with a surefire candidate for the most average album filler track of the year.

She does reinstate some fun on 'Birthday' with an innocent "oh-oh-oh" hook and some of Rihanna's Unfaithful piano chords, a familiarity that resurfaces on 'Bright Lights' (but that might just be Tinchy Stryder's relentless monotony). It's arguably got the best chorus, though, and finds a nice middle ground for Lott's vocals. 'Perfect' then plonks along with your typical lazy seduction number and is utterly forgettable. 'You Win' and 'We Just Go On' continue with the tired and predictable balladry before we thankfully reach the end with some diluted samba-pop on 'Till The Sun Comes Out'. It's fun, it's fine, it's this album at its best.


It's a totally dull record full of totally dull tracks that remind me of other totally dull tracks. It's neither offensively bad nor anywhere near 'good'. Typing sentences about her and her material is painfully difficult because there's absolutely nothing interesting to work with.

Rating: 3.5/10
Highlights: Till the Sun Comes Out, What Do You Take Me For?, Everybody Hurts Sometimes, Birthday, Bright Lights
Avoid: Kiss the Stars, Love You to Death, Perfect

Artwork Watch: It might as well be a Maxfactor advert. She clearly doesn't rely on her looks to sell records does she?

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