Pick this Lily

Pop stars don't have a reputation for possessing much in the way of brains. This might be somewhat unfair -- Madonna, for example, has a reputation for savvy-ness (at least, before she started getting weird). I suspect most of us think of Britney Spears' and Jessica Simpson's profound dimness. Or the "American Idol" formula, where folks with vocal talent get ahead by singing others' songs -- where they're automatons shaped and controlled by producers and Svengalis. "Who cares what they're singing," the thinking seems to go, "as long as they sigh on the beat?"\nThus, Lily Allen isn't merely a breath of fresh air -- if Alright, Still catches on in the United States like it has already in Britain, she might be a bit of a revolution. As her sweet, cockney-inflected voice flows over 13 tracks of (mostly) sunny, (mostly) dub/reggae-influenced, highly polished pop, she unleashes rhymes as sharp as razorblades -- and, indeed, just as cutting. Forget mindless seduction, treacly laments or empty "girl power" sloganeering. \nIn Alright's first six songs, Allen revels in the miseries of a cheating ex ("Smile"), shreds sleazy pickup artists ("Knock 'Em Out"), provides vivid (and incisive) tribute to the sordidness of life in London ("LDN"), fires a wave of bitter sarcasm at life's inequities ("Everything's Just Wonderful"), hands-down perhaps the most brutal revenge song against a former boyfriend that you'll hear all year ("Not Big" -- yes, it's about what you think), and paints her sardonic view of club life ("Friday Night"). Lyrics like "in the magazines they talk about weight loss / if I wore those jeans, I could look like Kate Moss" (from "Everything's Just Wonderful") are combined with tight-as-a-drum instrumental backing (listen to how the club noises are incorporated into "Knock 'Em Out"), sing-along choruses and hooks that require surgery to remove from your gray matter.\nThis is a pop album and, true to form, it's a bit uneven. While good, the next four tracks don't shine as bright as their predecessors (although, to Allen's credit, the lyrics are consistently strong). But things are redeemed by the witty character-studies, "Alfie" and (50-Cent parody!) "Nan You're A Window Shopper" -- lampooning Allen's stoner brother and grandmother, respectively. The concluding remix of "Smile" is interesting, but fails to better the original. So do the smart thing -- give the lovely Lily a listen. Before she gets mad …