Where do I start with Lily Allen’s debut album Alright Still? The 21-year old UK music sensation’s album is full of her energy, playfulness and wicked sense of humor. Her diverse musical influences show through on the album with tinges of ska, reggae, breaks, punk, blues and even drum and bass all making appearances. But what really makes the album stand out is her cheeky lyrical style.

The album is full of storytelling lyrics about city life, love, revenge, sex, family and all the other joy and drama of life. On “LDN,” an ode to the city where she spent much of her youth she chimes, “Everything seems to look as it should / But I wonder what goes on behind doors / A fella looking dapper, but he's sittin with a slapper / Then I see it's a pimp and his crack whore.” And on a blunt break-up ballad “Not Big” she sings “I never wanted it to end up this way / You've only got yourself to blame / I'm gonna tell them that your rubbish in bed now / and that your small in the game.” Other songs include “Alfie,” an affectionate tale about her pot-head brother and the hit “Smile,” which is a story of revenge (the video is a gem too).

Already garnering remixes from many big names bringing her sound from the stereo to the dancefloor, her sound is destined to explode on the ears of the populace. This was one of my top ten albums of the year without a doubt; it’s a healthy reminder that in the era of downloadable MP3s and ring tones you can still put out a cohesive album that is listenable from start to finish. It’s no wonder early comparisons have pinned her as a female version of the wildly successful The Streets. Whether a good comparison given their different styles or not, I’d be weary of any offspring that would be produced from an Allen-Skinner musical marriage.