ALRIGHT, STILL - LILY ALLEN
Pop enthusiasts might be quick to dismiss Lily Allen as just another bratty Brit import. But the vibrant young singer proves anything but on her unexpectedly saucy debut “Alright, Still.” (Released last summer in the United Kingdom, the disc is just now touching ground in the States.) Whether the foul-mouthed songstress is cursing her bad credit (”Everything’s Just Wonderful”) or cursing out an overly persistent male at a bar (”Knock Em Out”), her tone is always a mix of lightheartedness and cynicism. Lead single “Smile” even finds her soft vocals reveling in an ex’s misery over an island-breezy tune. These cheery, mostly reggae-infused rhythms keep the mood carefree, only treading occasionally on kitsch. (”Alfie”). With such a mature union of pop and realism, Allen seems primed for more longevity than her MySpace-discovered contemporaries. Billboard
