I didn’t expect to like My Best Friend is You, the sophomore album from quirky British songwriter Kate Nash. It’s not that I have anything against the spunky 22-year-old—on the contrary, I enjoyed her debut album, Made of Bricks, quite a bit—even if it is filled with cheesy one-liners that sound like they were lifted from an 18-year-old’s diary. (They were, so it was ok.) But then…I dunno. Time passed, and I forgot about it. (It didn’t have the lasting power of say…To Bring You My Love.) I only heard about her much-publicized “breakdown” at a 2008 German rock festival…and began to wonder if maybe her 15 minutes of fame were up. I mean, it’s not like LILY ALLEN’s sophomore album was very good, right?

But then, something happened. Namely: I got surgery. I had all 4 of my wisdom teeth yanked and while I was recovering—lying in bed all day, hopped up on Vicodin—with only magazines and That 70’s Show re-runs to comfort me—I read a long, in-depth interview with Nash in Nylon magazine. And I fell in love with her all over again. There’s something about the songstress—with her OCD and fear of becoming the next Amy Winehouse—that to me, seemed so sincere. She might be young, and filled with silly rhymes—but she’s absolutely real. Plus, I always root for other Kates.

Of course, it doesn’t hurt that My Best Friend is no freakin’ joke. Rather, Nash takes what worked for her on Bricks and expands upon it—drawing on her experiences touring the past 2 years—to craft a sophomore album that surpasses it in every way.

Consider the opening track, “Paris.” “You’ve come so far; well done, darling,” croons Nash, in that signature cockney accent. “We knew that you had it in you.” In the song, she’s ostensibly singing to a lover, but she could just as well be singing to herself. This is her return, and it feels triumphant. An exuberant arrangement of strings and keys backs her up.

Following track “Kiss that grrl” is the sputterings of a jealous, worried girlfriend, sung candidly over bouncy keys; “Don’t you want to share the guilt?” is a heart-breaking, xylophone-laced confessional about a dissolving relationship. No matter what she’s singing about, part of what makes Nash’s tunes so effective is her ability to capture moments and feelings in the tiny details: “I ask you if you’re crying/ you tell me: “Shut up!”/ so we sit in the garden/ and touch the grass with our hands.”

“Do-wah-doo” is an album highlight, with lush, ‘60s style vocals and full brass—while “I just love you more” showcases the songstress’s wild side—with drawn-out, breath-y vocals, yelps and oozing sex appeal. (Perhaps a glimpse into her love life with The Cribs’ Ryan Jarman?) And then we have “I’ve got a secret” and “Mansion song”—a clash-y, repetitive, drum-based concoction about coming out—and minute-and-a-half diatribe-turned-tribal-refrain, respectively. I told you Nash was expanding her sound!

The last leg of the album returns to the warm, shimmering pop we know and love, with a quartet of storied rock tunes. Closing track “I hate seagulls” is an intimate reflection on what Nash loves (and hates!)—it’s followed by a short hidden track called “My best friend is you.” I’ve never met Nash—but listening to her tunes, I feel we’d have a lot in common. We both hate seagulls, love cream tea—and are trying to find our way (with wit and humor!) in a confusing and complicated world. Thanks, Kate, for making such an exquisite album. I salute you!


Related stories…

»  More What I’m listening to: Kate Nash

Lucky for us, Rufus Wainwright has added a stop in Philadelphia to his already long list of tour dates-- and he's bringing along sister Martha once again.

»  More Rufus and Martha Wainwright at the Mann Aug. 4

Rocky Votolato has been around the block a few times, and by block I mean the expansive United States of America. In his more than ten years of songwriting and over the course of six full-length albums–which have been sanctuary for a sordid an honest picture of America–he's explored the ins and outs of everything from twangy alt.country to folkier finger-picked guitars, with a singer-songwriter always at the marrow. It's been a few years since The Brag & Cuss (Barsuk, 2007) and that's not just happenstance. Rocky took a bit of a break from touring to really focus on what life means to him, and in that process, he came out with True Devotion, which was released on the Barsuk label on February 23, 2010. The album sees him getting back to his stripped down self, both in the music and subject matter.

»  More INTRVW: Rocky Votolato

Brooklyn songwriter Sharon Van Etten is the first featured artist in WXPN and Weatervane's "Shaking Through" project.  We told you about the collaborative and exciting music news a couple weeks back and it looks like things are well underway.

»  More Free download: "Love More" by Sharon Van Etten

Well, it's shaping up to be a good Wednesday already because the vetted Ted Leo is bringing himself and the Pharmacists to the First Unitarian Church tonight.

»  More Ted Leo hits the Church tonight!

View gallery

There might have been an important ball game going on, but that didn’t deter the small but dedicated crowd at Johnny Brenda’s, eager to revel in the sweet tunes of the Delaware Valley’s dewy-eyed pop stars, the Spinto Band.

»  More Celebrating victory with the Spinto Band

Congratulations to local singer-songwriter Kurt Vile, whose Matador debut Childish Prodigy was released today. We dedicated this week's Sample Rate to "Hunchback," a single from his latest record.

»  More Phrequency TV: The Sample Rate

Blues abound last night at the Vox Populi gallery, where local acts Kurt Vile and the Megajam Booze Band met Queen’s Blues Control for an evening of noisy grooves, long drawls, and slick riffing.

»  More A night of "Vile" blues and acoustic guitars at Vox Populi

What: The closest thing we’ll get to an East coast Coachella is All Points West and this year’s festival is looking a little more varied than the 2008 edition. Instead of two nights with the same headliner, this year each night has multiple headliners. We’ve got the Jay-Z, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Vampire Weekend, Heartless Bastards, Tool, Gogol Bordello, Arctic Monkeys, Coldplay, MGMT, Silversun Pickups, Gaslight Anthem, Echo and the Bunnymen and a little band from across the pond called MY BLOODY VALENTINE.

Why wouldn’t you want to catch some of the best bands in the world with Lady Liberty in the background? Jersey City’s Liberty State Park is one of the most beautiful parks on the coast and is the perfect place to have the festival. Seriously, if you don’t go to this you’re 100% blowing it. Really.

»  More Phrequency Festival Guide: All Points West