Ashlee's Bad-Girl Alter Ego Rules Her New Album

LAS VEGAS — This town can bring out the bad girl in just about anyone, and Ashlee Simpson is about to unleash hers — on her new album, that is. Get ready to meet Vicky Valentine."You will know when Vicky is in the room!" the singer laughs during a Saturday sneak peek of select tracks from her forthcoming, yet-untitled album, due in November. Hanging out at the recording studio on the third floor of the Fantasy Tower at the Palms Casino Resort, Simpson has her recording crew keeping her company, from Timbaland who pops by for a hug to Jim Beanz, J Roe and King Logan. "These are my boys," she says as an introduction.Meanwhile, a new sound from Ashlee is banging on the speakers, a more tribal, dangerous, seductive sound, filled with beats and synth lines. "Here, in the dark, is where I find the light," she sings, in a slow, slinky way. "I've got a monkey on my back, get it off," she then sings in a near-rap. "I get away with murder," she drawls. Travis McCoy from Gym Class Heroes sneaks in a rap about how she has "diplomatic immunity.""This is really fun for me," Ashlee says. "I've always done guitar-based songs, and seeing what we can do with beats is so amazing."The song is called "Murder," and it might be her first single. It's one of six songs she recorded in Los Angeles over the past few months with VMA maestro Timbaland and crew, while she has seven others completed with Chad Hugo of the Neptunes and Kenna. The Timbo tracks the ones she previews at the Palms, at least — make it sound like a reinvention (à la what the producer did for Nelly Furtado) is in the works. One non-Timbaland track, "Follow You Wherever You Go," is what her father Joe calls her "Broadway thing" a jazzed-up number inspired by her work in the West End production of "Chicago" (see "Ashlee Collapses Onstage At 'Chicago' Debut But This Time, It's Intentional"). Ashlee might call her alter ego Vicky, but there's a bit of Roxie in her now too. - mtv.com