Customer Reviews

My Best Friend Is You

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

When she released her debut "Made of bricks" in 2007, comparisons were made between Kate Nash and fellow Brit Lily Allen, especially as both found initial fame online, Allen's plugging of Nash, as well as the British-sounding Pop both produced.

While Allen headed in a more Electro Pop direction for her sophomore, Nash has hooked up with producer Bernard Butler (Duffy, Sharleen Spiteri), and the sound this time is sixties Pop/Rock and girl groups like the Shirelles or Shangri-Las; jangling/chiming guitars, brass, strings, and lushly layered harmonies. The hand clap-filled "Paris", the incredibly catchy "Kiss that grrrl" ("I bet she doesn't like to eat, I bet her feet don't even stink" she sings about some girl she's afraid is about to snatch her guy), "Don't you want to share the guilt" (with a subtle acoustic intro and coda with a verbose stream), the Phil Spector-ish lead-off single "Do-wah-doo", and the lovely "Later on" (in which she declares "I used my body and his desperation") best epitomise this.

Her arcebic wit is still very much on display, and a few songs, "Early Christmas present", and the acoustic ballad "I hate seagulls" (in which she declares her dislike for just about everything), are nearest in sound to her debut, though there is no Dance/Pop like "Pumpkin soup" or "S*** song". Hidden at the end is the brief acoustic title track, inspired she says by her grandparents who have been married for 57 years.

Where she really stretches herself are on a trio of songs; the Punk "I just wanna love you more" (with sparse lyrics repeated continuously interspersed with squeals, yells and humming which get more fevered as the song progresses, against a buzzing, squealing and reverbing guitar backdrop), the messy psychedelic "I've got a secret" (with dreamy vocals, fuzzy guiitars and electronic fluorishes), and "Mansion song" (which starts off as an expletive-filled tirade fired at male musicians who take advantage of female fans, before skeletal beats and playground/cheerleader-style chants come in).

A delightful follow-up which should finally put paid to those Lily Allen comparisons.

First things first; I think that Kate's debut album `Made of Bricks' is one of the smartest and more well rounded albums I own. It is witty and charming and unique and all around lovable and I continually listen to it for days on end without ever getting tired of it. I've been highly anticipating this album since first hearing `Mouthwash' since I was determined to own everything that Nash released. Overall, this sophomore album is certainly inspiring and original and engaging and just plain fun. It is NOT as good as her debut, but expecting her to blow us away twice in a row is kind of unrealistic. There are some low points here, but her creativity is present on nearly every song and so she should be applauded for `going there'.

Like one reviewer already mentioned; Kate Nash has guts, and she isn't afraid to expose them.

Spreading her natural cheeriness all over this album with newfound influences that range from 60's surfer-girl rock to folk to punk rock, `My Best Friend is You' is certainly full of lots of goodies.

I'll start with the good.

The first big "wow" (for me) came from `Kiss That Grrrl', the song that professes explicit warning for her man to `stay away from that other chick'. I have become smitten with V.V. Brown as of late, and this whole surfer rock influence becoming modern feel is just really exciting to me (I absolutely love that movie `That Thing You Do' for the sheer fact that it makes me smile, and this music in general has that same affect on me). You couple `Kiss That Grrl' with the ferociously explosive `Do-Wah-Doo' (oh, you WILL be singing along) and you have two very capable and engaging reasons to run out and buy this album.

The `Get Cape, Wear Cape, Fly Remix' of `Do-Wah-Doo' is a little slowed down and not as impressive, but it's still fun.

I love the stop-go piano flirty-fun of `Pickpocket'. This is very much the Kate Nash from `Made of Bricks', and this is definitely what she does best. You have to admire someone who not only writes the lyrics but also writes the music (and plays the piano, guitar, drums etc.). She is all around impeccably talented. Oh yeah, and the breakdown ("baby out, get out") is filled to the brim with emotion.

Nicely played.

The layered beauty of `Later On' and the closing `I Hate Seagulls' is not to be underestimated. `Later On' in particular is just stunningly sincere and incredibly catchy. It has the feel of early Nash, but it has a maturity as well. The simple story of mismatched love and regret is poignant and ever-reaching, and that explosively (and surprisingly) stirring chorus has me listening to this song over and over and over again. `I Hate Seagulls' is a soft and subtle way for Nash to close her album, offering us a look at her perception of love. The way she exposes all the things she hates and how they matter nothing at all thanks to the fact that she has the love of someone whom she loves dearly. It's a sweet and moving ballad, and a brilliant way to end the album.

The opening track, `Paris', recalls Nash's debut album. It lets us know that she is still her fun-loving and cheeky self. Personally, it doesn't have the punch I wanted for an opening track (`Kiss That Grrrl', in my opinion, is the real album opener). `Early Christmas Present' is a great example of the poppy-greatness that exudes from Nash. I love the playful (albeit deep) lyrics and the way in which it is delivered is spot-on.

`Don't You Want to Share the Guilt' has its moments. I like the way that Nash uses seemingly obscure lyrics to paint a vivid and honest picture. Singing about how BBQ is good may seem odd, but it actually works marvelously. I wish that the song had a little more `pop' and I found the spoken rant at the end to be the tracks highlight, but it also kind of felt disjointed.

I'm on the fence with that one.

The punk influences on the album aren't as effective as I would like to have seen them. `Take Me to A Higher Plane' comes off slightly manic and chaotic, but not in a good way. Her vocals, while interesting, don't really `stretch' in the right direction when she starts throwing out high-pitched punk screams. `I Just Love You More' suffers mainly from lack of real content. If becomes redundant, and while I kind of like its structure, it just doesn't stack up. It is better than the ridiculously miniscule `I've Got a Secret', which deserved a little more effort. `You Were So Far Away' is very folksy, which I like, but then again it comes off somewhat out of place on this album. It is a very different sound, and she has what it takes to pull it off (her voice is effectively muddy and deep here) but I think she needs to work out some kinks.

`Mansion Song' is kind of preposterous. I mean, it is vulgar to no end, and somewhat interesting but at the same time rather repulsive. I just don't get it.

In the end, you still need to own this album. It is original and engaging and wholly entertaining. There are very few artists and challenge themselves to remain true to their viewpoint and there are very few artists who drip with as much style as Miss Nash. She is certainly one to continue to watch. I cannot wait until she drops her next album!

For those interested, here is my track ranking:

1) Later On
2) Do-Wah-Doo (album version)
3) Kiss That Grrrl
4) I Hate Seagulls
5) Pickpocket
6) Early Christmas Present
7) Don't You Want to Share the Guilt
8) Paris
9) Do-Wah-Doo (Get Cape, Wear Cape, Fly Remix)
10) I Just Love You More
11) You Were So Far Away
12) Take Me To A Higher Plane
13) I've Got a Secret
14) Mansion Song

"My Best Friend Is You" is Kate Nash's follow-up to her 2008 debut record, "Made of Bricks." I was a bit curious to what direction Kate would take on the new record. "Made of Bricks" was a such an enjoyable record with its fun lyrics, Kate's Cockney accent, beats, and playful piano melodies. It was a tough act to follow.

After listening to "My Best Friend Is You" for the first time, I have to say I wasn't disappointed! Several songs grabbed me immediately whereas a few required more listens. As for the tone of the record, Kate goes retro with sounds reminiscent of 60s pop. The piano is present but not as dominant as it appeared in her debut record. Kate also plays around with the reverb effect giving the songs a haunting quality to it. As for the lyrics, it is mostly about Kate's insecurities and her disappointments with men, despite being in a supposedly happy relationship. However, if you've been scorned by love, then you will find a bit of solace in Kate's rants. Some folks have commented on her sometimes screaming lyrics but that is the punk influence coming through the record. In my opinion, this is managed well because it adds to the intensity of the song but her vocals are not in-your-face because it doesn't overpower the music.

Overall, a great follow-up record. I don't find myself comparing it to her first record. Instead, I see it as an addition to her excellent repertoire. I hope she continues down her musical path.


Track by Track Guide:

Paris: Great opener to the record! Classic Nash with a catchy piano melody and chorus (you never listen to me) with interjecting orchestral strings.

Kiss That Grrl: An introduction to the 60s pop sound. Great beat!

Don't You Want To Share The Guilt?: Excellent Song! A revamped b-side from her first record. The song builds as it progresses with a spoken-word rant at the end!

I Just Love You More: An introduction to the punk sound and reverb effect. The lyrics are repetitive (I just love you more) but comes through as genuine. A bit of screaming in this one.

Do Wah Doo: The lead single. Excellent Guitar. Classic Nash with piano, catchy lyrics, hooky chorus.

Take Me To A Higher Plane: Fun Song. A bit of punk mixed with classic Nash. I love the fiddle parts and the calm chorus.

I've Got A Secret: Reverb! Repetitive lyrics but enjoyable.

Mansion Song: Spoken word rant for the first 90 seconds with low, backing music... then merges to a fuller sound. I usually skip this one.

Early Christmas Present: Classic Nash! I enjoyed the harmonizing vocals.

Later On: Love it! I play this one the most. The chorus is very catchy (... and later on, I'll cry my stupid eyes out)!

PickPocket: Piano driven. This song reminds me of Regina Spektor or Ingrid Michaelson. Good song.

You Were So Far Away: Very calm, acoustic sound. Unlike the other songs on the record, this song doesn't offer much musically. I usually skip this one.

I Hate Seagulls: A good ending to the record. After Kate ranting for most of the record, this song is where she makes peace. Very calm acoustic song with guitar and piano.

* Hidden Track: My Best Friend Is You.

Dont get me wrong I love Kate Nash and was so excited to get this CD,
but i think it fails in comparison to the made of bricks cd.
there were some good songs on here like "kiss that girl", "Do-Wah-Do", "dont you want to share the guilt" but I found this cd slightly boring.
I know artists change with each cd they put out but i do not like this change, I
am still a fan of kate nash and hope her next cd is much better.

Overall Grade: B
Hilights: Paris, Don't You Want To Share The Guilt?, I Just Love You More, Mansion Song, I Hate Seagulls

With her 2007 release "Made of Bricks", Kate Nash came out swinging with her brash accent and politely neurotic tales of young love and loss, or at the very least, her tendency to fall for d***heads. Her new diary is called "My Best Friend Is You", a slightly more paranoid account about what a girl's to do when the men continue to disappoint. This time, her opening statement is the semi-sweet "Paris" which leads into the more startling tracks that feel like a long-winded 45 minutes of whining and shouting. The way is paved by the third track "Don't You Want to Share the Guilt?" that probably contains her silliest and most important rant, 'I don't know why more people haven't got mental health problems, thinking is one of the most stressful things I've ever come across.' The music is a bit more adventurous and eclectic this time around, though Nash is still drawing from the same pool of instruments, most of which she plays herself. The album's not as much of a gem as her first, but still worth a listen if not only for the pure amusement of listening to Nash squeal!

Britian's latest excellent pop artist goes for a second album with a little less fun. While her previous album had around 9 great songs and 3 throw away tracks, this new album has the opposite with 3 great songs and 9 throw away tracks. There are a few amazing gems on this album that remind me why I love the Brit, but most the others are missing the quirky fun and catchy piano melodies Kate's earlier work had.

The singles "Do Wah Doo" and "Kiss that Grrrl" are both extremely catchy and overall excellent songs, for sure. "Do Wah Doo" sounds a lot like it could've been on her previous release, but also it brings in a new element to her music: brass. It goes incredibly nicely with the song, and I hope that she continues experimenting with the sound in the future.

"Don't you want to share the guilt" is what I had hoped most the album would be like. It had a bit of growth, a bit of fun, and a lot of rambling. It's definitely one of the best songs on the album. While it's not as catchy as the two singles, it's still worth getting off Itunes or something.

"Pickpocket" and "Early Christmas Present" aren't really bad songs, but I can't see listening to them over and over. With that said, the rest of this album was pretty disappointing. Some songs were overly repetitive ("I Just Love you more", others lacked lyrical depth "I've got a Secret", and the rest just lacked the lovable quality most of the last album had.

The bottom line: If you heard the two singles and loved them, I wouldn't rush to the store and buy this album. Listen to it on her myspace or somewhere before hand. However if you can't get enough of Kate Nash's music and adore everything she ever says, well...than you probably have this album by now. ;)

This is a very good follow up to Kate Nash's first album, Made of Bricks. Although some of the quirky piano pop is noticeably absent from this album (and the lack of songs similar in tone to "Merry, Happy" and "We Get On" is sorely missed), the album is a solid blend of songwriting and production that results in a combination that sounds about 80% Kate Nash and 20% Phil Specter. In general, the songs are louder, more forceful, and more assured than her prior effort, and Kate Nash has clearly discovered the importance drums and a beefed up sound can have in crafting a solid rock/pop song. Some of the sweetness from the music and lyrics is gone (whether as a result of growing up, or an intentional departure from her prior album, who can tell?), but overall, the songs are well crafted, exciting, and fun to listen to. There is one spoken word track that is god awful, but with that exception, every song on the album is excellent, and very likely to be enjoyed by any fan of Made of Bricks.

I purchased this product as a gift for my sister and so have not actually seen it but her report back was very positive and she was very happy with it, thanks very much.

This album is great! It's so much fun to listen to and I love the vintage pop sound it has to it. Kate Nash is just awesome. Paris is my favorite track on the album!

I can only give Kate 3.5** for this one. Her Made of Bricks is excellent as others have noted. In a way I like the song she produced best, #8, Mansion song - it sounds more like the Kate I know. I wonder if part of the problem is the producer, and perhaps another is that she didn't have the time to reflect and work alone. Her first CD demonstrates her wit and humor; this one not so much. OTOH, I bought the Melankton CD By Kate Havnevik, and although reviewers have given it 4.5**, I prefer Kate Nash. My Best Friend Is You is a lot more fun than Melankton.