Little Jackie: The Stoop

At 34 minutes, Little Jackie's The Stoop is slight in length, but

it's still a monster of a debut. Musically, The Stoop fuses catchy R&B; with

flourishes of doo-wop, hip-hop, and pop—courtesy of producer Adam

Pallin—but its soul stems from singer Imani Coppola, whose late-'90s hit "Legend

Of A Cowgirl" only hinted at her capabilities. Coppola's lyrical wit and

swagger define The Stoop's appeal, be they in the form of a charged empowerment anthem

like "The World Should Revolve Around Me" ("I ain't concerned with my

biological clock / Since I never grow old, my heart is always in stock"), the

bouncy kiss-off to a cheating lover "LOL" ("LOL, I text your cell, gotta spell

out 'go to hell' / Toss you in the trash bin, reduce you to an acronym"), or

even a critique of the perpetually tragic Amy Winehouse, "Cryin' For The Queen"

("Sick of your behavior and your junkie routine / It's time for you to get

clean and stop creating a scene"). Drawing from a seemingly inexhaustible

supply of sass, Coppola wraps her laid-back vocals around narratives that are

innovative yet accessible, resulting in one of the most promising pop debuts

2008 is likely to see.