Ms. Allen’s 2006 (2007 Stateside) debut, Alright, Still was such a breath of fresh air at the time that it remade a good deal of British pop in her image. She was one of England’s cleverest lyricists since Damon Albarn or Mike Skinner. Her juxtaposition of a classic fashion sense with East End street swagger brought to mind Jane Birkin. Her breathy vocals were similar to a UK version of how 80s Madonna would go at a ballad, if that makes any sense. She kicked off the trend of musicians oversharing on MySpace, and her gobby style made waves on both sides of the Atlantic, inspiring Kate Nash, Adele, Lady Gaga and Human Canker Sore. It would not be an overstatement to say that, when we look back at this decade’s music, Lily Allen will be one of the more prominent names. I say all of this to say how difficult it must have been to come up with a follow-up. However, she’s managed to avoid sophomore block and record a very solid album. It’s no masterpiece, but it’s certainly no embarassment either. I streamed the album from Lily’s MySpace this morning and here are my thoughts:

Lily hits the ground running with “Everyone’s At It,” which tackles drug abuse with her trademark candour. “How can we start to tackle the problem?,” she sings in the oddly upbeat chorus, while synths and backing vocals swirl around the stereo field like disembodied souls. I want this to be the next single.

Next up is the first single, the British chart-topper and Pulp-referencing “The Fear,” which on the surface is a perfect bit of shiny happy electro-pop. Biting social commentary lurks in the lyric, which goes after a culture adrift in conformity, consumerism and fame. The chorus (“I’m being taken over by the fear”) is a perfect encapsulation of the time we live. Sadly, it has yet to chart in the States.

“Not Fair” has been slated by many (stuffy, stereotypically British) reviewers as a bad pseudo-country joke song. I quite like it, though it’s certainly nowhere near as brilliant as the first two songs. It’s much less serious, which is nice. An album full of “The Fear” would be a bit like homework, wouldn’t it?

“22” is musically similar to Back to Black with a touch of Baroque harpsichord in the verse. The lyric here is serious again, addressing a woman who parties through her 20s and then feels desperate to settle down with a man. It’s quite sympathetic, and I think possibly personal.

“I Could Say” is a bit more generic, the sort of adult-contemporary light-pop about overcoming personal struggle that you’d hear in Macy’s. Not too fond of this one.

“Back To The Start” hints at a harder edge of electronica, until Lily comes in with perhaps the most pathos-leaden vocal of her career. The lyric is about repairing a broken relationship. Very Lifetime.

“Never Gonna Happen” is Alright, Still redux in attitude and B-side quality musically. Skip.

“F—- You” is an attack on an inept US President that’s as clever as its title. One neat line: “You want to be like your father.” Spot on there, Lily.

“Who’d Have Known” begins the final third of the album, where things pick up. It’s a really good pop tune about the beginning of a new relationship, with a beat similar to “Smile” and the synths from “The Fear” combining to make a very good candidate for fourth single.

For those who thought Kate Nash’s “Mouthwash” was too prosaic, “Chinese” will be the most grating thing here, as it makes Kate’s song sound as extroverted as M.I.A. The song is not about the startling economic growth of the world’s most populous country, but rather, about staying in with a significant other, Chinese takeaway and the TV. Musically, it’s one of the album’s standouts; it sounds like a 22nd-century of the Supremes. However, many listeners won’t be able to get past the cosy domesticity of the lyric.

The titular subject of “Him” is God. Lily meditates on what God thinks of his Creation, asking at one point what party God would vote for. I view that as a clever commentary on the role of religion in American politics. Then she gets very heavy, mentioning the deaths committed in the name of religion “long before September, long before hijacking planes” and asks if He’s ever done cocaine. A nice beat and a tantalising guitar line in the verse make this a great choice for third single, especially as it’d be a nice amount of publicity when it’s banned by the Religious Right in the States.

The final track, “He Wasn’t There,” addresses Lily’s relationship with her celebrity father Keith Allen, in a very mature, open-minded manner. The music sounds like it’s based on old vaudeville-music samples, surface noise and all. It’s a solid ending to a solid album.

SCORE: 7/10

Hear the album on Lily’s MySpace