The opening title track of Lily Allen's comeback album is almost a summation of the rest of the tracks in one hit.
She admits feeling unsure about her return to the world of pop, having been on something of a musical hiatus since 2010 - she's scared, but also ready to roll with the punches, after all, it's not her first time in the ring.
And then she comes out swinging with a chorus that's a simultaneous shout-out and challenge to the women she sees as her fellow divas - Rihanna, Katy Perry, Beyonce, Lorde, Gaga. She wants to be Sheezus, so they better be bringing their best.
It's clever, there's no doubt. Allen has always been able to see the paradoxes of the world she inhabits, and has a sharp tongue to swipe at the falsity of it all. That's when she's at her best - critiquing tabloids on Insincerely Yours, satirising online haters on URL Badman, dismissing assumptions made about her privileged upbringing on Silver Spoon.
Her attack of sexism on Hard Out Here doesn't come off quite so well - there's nothing wrong with the sentiment, it just sounds like she's being ironic, or at best, a little paint-by-numbers, when it seems more likely that it's an issue she cares about.
And the rest of the album? Well, it's not awful, but neither is it particularly engaging. The best of it is Air Balloon, which has a vague touch of M.I.A. about it, albeit much more joyful and a little bit nonsensical; and the slightly odd country rock-along, As Long As I Got You, which is a refreshingly candid love song. It seems being a mother and wife is agreeing with Allen.
The worst, like Our Time and Close Your Eyes, are somehow both "beige and saccharine" (which are Allen's own words), and almost a parody of themselves given their silly lyrics and half-hearted delivery.
Stylistically, it's an interesting grab-bag - there are bits of R&B, lounge, dubstep, Paul Simon Graceland patterns, hip-hop, Coldplay balladry - and though the variation is welcome, it also feels a little like Allen is trying her hand at everything to see what fits.
So, Sheezus offers some moments that recall Allen's cleverest bits and remind why she made a name for herself in the first place, but she's not grabbing the queen diva crown back just yet.
Verdict:
Her bark is stronger than her bite.
Click here to buy Sheezus by Lily Allen.
- TimeOut