Autobiography

1	Autobiography
2	Pieces of Me
3	Shadow
4	La La
5	Love Makes the World Go Round
6	Better Off
7	Love Me for Me
8	Surrender
9	Unreachable
10	Nothing New
11	Giving It All Away
12	Undiscovered

Barnes & Noble

"Got bruises on my heart / And sometimes I get dark / If you want my autobiography... / Baby, just ask me," raspy-voiced newcomer Ashlee Simpson sings on title track to her debut disc, Autobiography. Fans of Simpson's eponymous MTV reality show, however, will already be familiar with the trials and triumphs that the 19-year-old has experienced thus far with her love life and fledgling career. The confessions of this preacher's kid -- a painful breakup ("Pieces of Me"), life in the spotlight with her beautiful-yet-IQ-challenged older sister, Jessica ("Shadow") -- will strike a chord with disaffected teenage drama queens everywhere. Thanks to Autobiography's producer, John Shanks (Michele Branch, Sheryl Crow, Alanis Morrissette), the disc offers a winning mix of Avril-esque punk ("Better Off"), Garbage-reminiscent rock ("La La"), and Pink-tinted pop ("Love for Me"), which gives Ashlee -- who dyed her blonde hair jet black in an attempt to forge her own identity -- a distinctly non-Jessica sound. Credit should also be given to Simpson, who despite sounding derivative at times, is far more talented than fellow MTV darling Kelly Osbourne and has a enough vocal prowess and personal style to become a star in her own right. Tracy E. Hopkins

All Music Guide

Give Ashlee Simpson some credit -- she (or her management) knew that the only way to break out of the shadow of her older sister, Jessica, was to be her opposite. So, she dyed her blonde hair jet-black, based her music in rock, not dance-pop, and co-wrote every song on her 2004 debut, Autobiography (Jessica only co-wrote one on her debut, Sweet Kisses). It could be argued that this makeover for the star of the square WB TV series 7th Heaven is a bit too calculated, but regardless of the intent, the end result still works far better than that of her big sister's albums. Where Jessica sounds like a throwback to the late '60s/early '70s, specifically to the variety shows of Andy Williams and Sonny & Cher, Ashlee is modern, using the glossy, punky pop of Pink and Avril Lavigne as the touchstone for her debut. It's heavy on guitars and light on dance beats, although those are bubbling under the layers and layers of six-strings, and Ashlee has adopted a growl that may come out closer to a mousey squeak, but the attitude is appreciated all the same. And that pretty much sums up Autobiography -- it's not perfect, and it's often affected, but it winds up being endearing because of her earnestness. Not only is she trying hard -- and, in the case of "Lala," trying way too hard to be sexy -- but she's succeeding in creating an album that feels like a bubblegum version of Pink's M!ssundaztood, even if it's not quite as catchy. While the album could have used a few more songs with indelible hooks, it nevertheless is an enjoyably slick, widescreen production that's a whole lot more fun than anything her sister has recorded (with the notable exception of "I Think I'm in Love With You"), plus it's varied enough to suggest that Ashlee could make a more interesting record the next time out. All in all, it's an unexpectedly strong debut from an artist who seemed destined to be a footnote to her famous older sister, but just may wind up with a more interesting career. Stephen Thomas Erlewine

New York Times

Ms. Simpson can put a rasp in her voice, echoing the pop-rock snarl of Joan Jett, and she dispenses image-making boasts, particularly in the album's title song: "I'm a sexy girl in this crazy world." Jon Pareles