"Songs About Girls" by Will.i.am; Interscope

Will.i.am might be the only pop artist who can make comparing a woman to a farm animal seem like nice, clean fun. The Black Eyed Peas' idea man exudes frantic good will, even when he's cramming his productions with unsubtle hooks and tricks or building party anthems around the most juvenile rhymes since the members of Kris Kross hung up their backward coats. His schizophrenic charisma is evident throughout this first proper solo album, in stores this week. It's really two albums in one: an experiment in introspection and a full-body grab for more hits.

Let's start with the hits, those playground chants destined to drive us all crazy for the next few months. "I Got It From My Mama (Genetics)" follows the formula of the Peas' awful, irresistible "My Humps," with a bunch of babes explaining the law of inheritance to a drooling Will over some French synth-pop. Songs like this are what Chupa Chups lollipops are to candy — empty calories in a familiar shape and a titillating flavor.

As for "The Donque Song," who can really blame Will for indulging in such an obvious analogy? Derriere worship has been the safe zone of hip-hop lewdness ever since Sir Mix-a-Lot equated it with black pride in "Baby Got Back," and Fernando Garibay's Timbaland-lite production justifies Will's lyrics about bounce.

Snoop Dogg provides a sturdily lascivious cameo; Will himself imitating Justin T's vocal slide is good for a laugh.

In its best moments, "Songs About Girls" offers the Will that some will love to love as well as the Will everyone loves to hate.