Pop - Britain's second-sauciest hip-popper (after Lady Sovereign), Lily Allen returns after a 2.5 year hiatus with an outstanding sophomore album. In a storm of tabloid taboos following the success of debut Alright, Still, Allen wrote and recorded a dozen songs that reveal her to be the complete antithesis of most pop divas. Conscious, conscientious, clever and bold, It's Not Me... addresses sex, drugs, God, consumer culture, the Bush White House, Chinese take-out, absentee fathers, limp-noodle boyfriends and the price of fame with insight, honesty, and attitude. Did we mention she wrote all the lyrics herself? Ghostwriters, go home!

The album is a big step forward musically as well, leaving behind Mark Ronson and the retro soul/swing/ska arrangements that characterized Alright, Still for the sophisticated electro-pop of The Bird And The Bee's Greg Kurstin, who also contributed playing and production to her debut. "I wanted to work with one person from start to finish to make it one body of work," Allen told NME. "I wanted it to feel like it had some sort of integrity. I think I've grown up a bit as a person and I hope it reflects that." For a whirlwind tour through the new album, check out the megamix below, which splices together parts of 6 of the tracks.

Artist Site MySpace Capitol Records