Jessica Simpson may not be Mensa material. But even she seems smart enough to know that nobody takes her seriously. And nobody wants to hear her whine about her divorce -- except for maybe her ex, and he's already cornered the market on that.

So on her fourth album A Public Affair, the newly single singer sticks it to Nick and gives everyone else just what they want: A catchy, cutesy, carefree batch of featherweight dance-pop singles.

The title cut and If You Were Mine are bubbly baubles that bounce along like Madonna singles from the '80s. The sexy B.O.Y. makes inspired use of the opening riff from The Cars' Just What I Needed. The '70s pop of Walkin' 'Round in a Circle pays homage to Fleetwood Mac's Dreams.

The electro-jazzy Swing With Me revamps Louis Prima's Sing Sing Sing. Ditto her cover of Dead or Alive's You Spin Me Round (Like a Record). And while the slinky hayseed funk of Push Your Tush is a hoot for all the wrong reasons -- chiefly Simpson vocal ad-libs like "Cock-a-doodle-doo!" and "Let's get some grub!" -- the Ohio Players groove at its heart is irresistible.

Through it all, her producers (who include Scott Storch and Jam and Lewis) keep the mood breezy, light and playful, occasionally letting Jess strut her vocal stuff but never letting her fall prey to overblown Idol-style melismathons.

On the downside, most of the best cuts come at the front of the 54-minute disc, which winds down with a handful of dull ballads.

But even half a good album is enough to make A Public Affair a swell coming-out party -- and Simpson's most enjoyable disc to date. Seriously.

Track Listing:

1. A Public Affair
2. You Spin Me Round (Like A Record)
3. B.O.Y.
4. If You Were Mine
5. Walkin' 'Round In A Circle
6. The Lover In Me
7. Swing With Me
8. Push Your Tush
9. Back To You
10. Between You & I
11. I Don't Want To Care
12. Fired Up
13. Let Him Fly