Album of the Day

Though she's the product of a show business family, Lily Allen's debut, ALRIGHT, STILL, is refreshingly free of glitz. While the 11 originals here are meticulously produced (by a team including Mark Ronson), there's bite beneath the bright surfaces as Allen offers cheeky rejoinders to ex-boyfriends (“Smile,” a U.K. No.1 hit), her slacker brother (“Alfie”) and others. Thanks to the singer's confidence and sense of humor, the put-downs are never off-putting, and the 2006 collection has tender and affirmative moments in the heartbreaking “Littlest Things” and urban anthem “LDN” to add variety. England was quick to embrace Allen's ska-tinged pop - the set just missed the top of the chart there – but the irrepressible ALRIGHT, STILL was a Top 20 success in America as well.