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After a sudden drop from the spotlight and subsequent recovery from self-proclaimed exhaustion and disillusion, British emcee Lady Sovereign returns with a sophomore LP that has her taking risks with mixed results. A kneejerk response to the album might be "derivative jams in the key of cheeky street smarts," an assessment that holds up but is balanced by some promising residual effects-not ten minutes after the first spin, the title-track's chorus bounced through my brain like 7-Up-dosed Pop Rocks.

"Jigsaw" the single is magic. However, Jigsaw the record is infectious and schizophrenic, the type of album that is both brilliant and grating. In the club, songs like "Let's Be Mates" and "I Got You Dancing" are rave-up godsends. But when S-O-V not only samples but quotes lines from The Cure's "Close to Me" it comes across not as clever reconstruction but rather cloying studio hackwork. Then again, the Parliament flavored "Food Play" alone is almost worth the price of Jigsaw. It's Salt N Pepa "Push It" good. Ooh, baby, baby. Baby, Baby. It will drive you to the fridge, the bedroom or, ideally, both. Ultimately, Lady Sovereign endures. Her warts and all approach to songwriting is refreshingly candid and endearing, even on the more lackluster tunes.

Standout Tracks: "Food Play," "Jigsaw" JAMIE GADETTE