It's Not Alright, It's Exceptional - Well I was never gonna give it a bad review, was I?

Ms. Allen was once a mockney chavette and MySpace Queen in a prom dress, Nikes and sweetly singing razor sharp vulgarities over a peppy ska pop melodies amid some sideward glances about being Keith Allen's daughter. Whatever the tabloids had to say, whatever scandal followed her, whatever negativity may have been thrown her way it didn't matter, Alright, Still was an addictive slice of original, well-produced, witty pop with an acidic tongue and ferocious bite; just what the genre needed. Now she returns to scene after an all-too-lengthy hiatus and now it seems the dubby beats and classic ska samples have gone the way of her mock-gold hoops and frilly dresses. Instead stands a sleek, more media savvy (if not media wary) mature pop princess back at number one again with The Fear. Her last number one, Smile, was a perfect representation of the album it was lifted from, the sweetest of sweet infectious melodies counteracted with cutting lyrics of ex-girlfriend scorned. Just the same The Fear is very much an indication of It's Not Me, It's You, the lyrics are as biting as ever but this time the scope is broadened beyond relationship pratfalls and onto a bang upto date social commentary set to a more ethereal, William Orbit-esque electro musical style.

And this is the blueprint that Lily's sophomore effort follows while shaking things up along the away to achieve a sound that is cohesive throughout but varied enough to feel fresh until the end. In terms of thought-provoking lyrics It's Not Me delivers, 22 is a piano-led commentary on a youth obsessed society disregarding female celebrities once they've hit their supposed sell by date. Everyone's At It's thumping beat and blaring sirens set the scene as Lily questions today's drug culture, pointing out that it extends beyond the grimy street dealers and into the civilised society "grown politicians to young adolescents prescribing themselves anti-depressants,". Some slightly more questionable sources of inspiration include former President (emphasis on the former) G.W Bush in the hilariously direct, chiming nursery rhyme Fuck You which includes a chipmunk-worthy key change. Yes, it may feel a little dated already but it's an anthem and there are plenty of prejudiced bigots and duff politicians in the world that the song can be directed at. Anyone worried that Lily has left behind her trademark tales of relationship woes needn't fret, Not Fair is basically Not Big p.2 only in the form of country and western ho-down and an irresistibly infectious hook. Never Gonna Happen is pure concentrated rejection in the form of a polka (if you can believe it) with a devastatingly blunt middle eight; imagine being dumped by a chorus in a specially penned musical number.

Allen's new electro sound works beautifully throughout, Back to the Start's frenzied, breathless, cluttered chorus contrasts effectively with the haunting verses that apologise to her sister for resenting her set to a stomping beat and bass-laden synth and the aforementioned Everyone's At It feels like The Killers circa Hot Fuss (i.e before Flowers became a pseudo-philosophical fashionista oddball). The sound also translates successfully to quieter moments such as the lush I Could Say and the sweet and sincere love note Who'd Have Known (which has lost some of its raw, intimate charm in translation for demo to copyright-infringement free finished project). A surprise highlight is the airy, simple and charming Chinese an ode to the banal details of everyday life that become so significant when you've been away from them for long enough. There's even an attempt at a more acoustic sound, laden with electric plinks and a pulsating beat of course, with Him, a sometimes slightly cringe-inducing but generally astute and witty 'hymn' regarding what the big man upstairs would be like were he here today. And the album closes with the vintage twang of He Wasn't There, a song that fully accepts and reveres her father in spite of and even due to all his flaws.

It's Not Me, It's You is a stellar follow-up to the brilliant Alright, Still it maintains many of the best qualities that made that debut so special while developing them into a more mature and refined sound. It all just works wonderfully as a body of work, flowing from song to song provoking thought, smiles, perhaps the odd tear and every note of it rings utterly sincere and personal; a rare quality that makes this album a worthy investment. I could say that it sets a new benchmark for modern pop albums but this seems a rather meagre accolade when written in black and white and one that doesn't quite do this humorous, heartfelt, honest and creative triumph justice.