It'd be far too harsh to say that Kate Nash's sophomore album My Best Friend Is You comes off as an epic fail. A much more accurate description can be reached by simply omitting the word "epic". To be extremely blunt, this set of songs just doesn't work. It's most definitely a fail, but it's not exactly clear who's to blame for that.
The entire project seems like a compromise between the artist and the producer. It appears they can't reach an understanding on what's more important–a commercial girl group sound or Nash's trademark attitude and neuroticism. As a result, both aspects suffer by becoming muddled into a mess of total blandness. It's unclear whether she's trying to be Duffy or Lily Allen, and she's not doing a particularly good job at being either of them.
To add insult to injury, she's not even doing a good job at being herself. This album is pure drivel when compared to her debut Made of Bricks. "Later On" sounds like a mediocre recreation of "Foundations", while nothing on the album captures the catchiness of "Pumpkin Soup" or shock value of "Dickhead". Trying too hard or not trying hard enough can be extreme issues in a musician's career. Yet somehow, Nash has achieved both with her latest release.
– Dewitt
To listen to select songs from this album, follow the JUMP:
And live versions of two other songs:
Honestly… going back and listening to the first album, it sounds like she’s the kind of artist who plays obnoxious, self-indulgent noise in the coffee shop, while you try to read your paper and wish she’d stop. So what the reviewer compares to a near-epic fail, I just call consistently unlistenable.
Are you both serious? Although there are next to no hooks on this (which her 1st was full of), this is some really good stuff. You just need to listen a couple times. Kiss That Grrrl is great and so is the last half of …Share The Guilt, all of Paris and …Higher Plane.
The girl plays bass in a punk band, you can’t expect her to keep putting out polished Regina Spektor-esque pop.
Another yawn of a review from a reviewer that needs those girls to be clear when “trying to be Duffy or Lily Allen.” Clearly, you need to try doing something productive with your life.