Lail Arad can certainly write a song. There are 11 of them on this album, every one showing pithy, crafted smarts, astride strummed tunes that stick in the head. The London singer has the wit of Leonard Cohen, the vocal deadpan of Lou Reed, and a sound closer to the latter, all filtered through New York’s anti-folk scene, with a dash of Cat Stevens’ startling simplicity for good measure. A few years ago she did “Everyone is Moving to Berlin”, probably the height of her low level fame thus far, but she deserves much more for The Onion. This is literate acoustic singer-songwriter fare at its best, galaxies away from the usual bedsitter mewling. It has wit and real heart. The way she drawls “Your protective mother told me not to bother” on “Lay Down” is worth the price of entry alone. Maybe Album of the Year 2016 contender.
The Fat Angel Sings 