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Chicago native Melissa Lefton's debut is spirited, fun, witty and not half bad. In fact, the sampling of songs offered here are engagingly lively with a satisfying supply of poppy/hook- filled tracks providing a little something extra not found in today's Top 40 canon, abundantly dispensed like so much vanilla ice cream sprinkled with coconut and covered with whipped cream.

In other words, this sassy and smart talent is anything but bland. Lefton's self-titled release shows her to be a cunning songwriter, weaving pop tunes on subjects ranging from drug use and murder to religious cults. Let's see Jessica Simpson or Ms.Britney touch that!

Lefton sings with a style similar to 80's queens Cyndi Lauper, Tiffany and Debbie (Deborah) Gibson. And, inasmuch as she isn't a 'girl' just out of her teens (Melissa Lefton is a 26 year old woman), her music is delivered in a slightly more mature, seasoned and self-aware fashion, giving her the freedom to explore topics and pop elements with a sharp, knowledgeable tongue, one which is planted firmly in-cheek.

Songs like "My Hit Song" (where she blatantly declares her candidacy for rock stardom: .... "This is my image/these are my dancers/come on promote me"), and the equally intriguingly smart "Sugar Daddy", are handled with bouncy, carefully crafted melodies, adding to Lefton's lure as a stand alone pop songtress for those seeking something stand out in their pop music fare. Melissa Lefton's debut on Jive Records is definitely deserving of a few good spins.