Lily Allen, 'It's Not Me, It's You'

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The buzz: A poster child for MySpace’s ability to launch new artists, Lily Allen became a bona fide A-list star in Britain with her 2006 debut, “Alright, Still.” She’s been a polarizing figure ever since, not because of her catchy, cheeky pop music, but because of offstage antics that have made her one of the most reliable providers of U.K. tabloid fodder.
 
The verdict: Allen pays no mind to the typical confines of escapist pop songwriting, stuffing “It’s Not Me, It’s You” with highly confessional songs about estranged family members, as well as jaunty numbers about prescription drugs, gender roles, religion and homophobia. The ambition is welcome; Allen, at 23, already has a certain world-weary wisdom, but for every lyrical bon mot, there are two or three lazy clunkers. The chief offenders are the dreadful “Him” and the Carpenters-nicking “F--- You”—the former playing out like an adolescent wondering about God, the latter sounding dated (mercifully) in its potty-mouthed swipes at former President George W. Bush. Allen’s breezy delivery holds as the central charm to her music—sweetness with a subversive streak—and brutal kiss-offs remain her area of expertise, with the surprisingly honky-tonked “Not Fair” being one gleefully fun example. Adventure suits Allen very well—and there’s a fair bit here—but also a lot of her and producer Greg Kurstin treading yesterday’s water with glossy, sappy electro-pop.

Did you know? Helping to drum up publicity for the new album, Allen recorded a cover of Britney Spears’s “Womanizer,” which has become an early crowd-pleaser in her live sets.

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