She's OK: It's hard to imagine writing a song as provocatively titled as "Swallow Me" with one's brother, but that's exactly what Leah Andreone did on her new album "Alchemy." The Sept. 29 RCA release is a quantum leap from her debut, 1996's "Veiled."

Whereas that album, which spawned the top 40 and modern rock hit "It's Alright, It's OK," surveyed the healing process Andreone has gone through as a survivor of childhood abuse, "Alchemy" shows the strength of someone who's now on the other side.

"I see my last record as therapy," she says. "I see this record as my reality right now." The album addresses sensuality, as many of the song titles suggest. "The first record dealt with the ugly side of sex," she says. "This is dealing with the most beautiful experiences that sex can bring you and what relationships can bring you."

The first single, "Sunny Day," reflects the album's tone: a need to be emotionally present in one's own life. Already garnering adds at modern rock, the track is catchy. Yet a number of tunes on the album are far more captivating. Among them is the deceptively poppy "Bow Down"; "Inconceivable," a sweet Cyndi Lauper-ish love song for anyone who's ever felt unlovable that begs for soundtrack placement; and "Swallow Me."

"I have a very trusting, open relationship with my family," says Andreone. "They've been involved in every facet of my life, including the abuse. My brother's my best friend, and we can both relate to the same happiness that comes out of any kind of relationship."

For Andreone, listening to her first album is often a painful task. That's not because of the subject matter but because of the production.

"On the first record, I was told to tone down my vocals," she says. "That was very frustrating, because that's my instrument... The audience would notice the difference between my live show and my record, and it was very frustrating."

Andreone is also mad that she didn't have enough faith in her opinions to stand up for herself.

"I finally realized that some of my musical tastes, some of my opinions, are valid," she says. "That's a negative that came from my childhood abuse -- I didn't learn to speak up. It's all about instilling in me that it's all right to vocalize what I'm thinking."

Determined not to make the same mistake again, she decided to co-produce "Alchemy." For a production partner she chose Bob Marlette, best known for his work with heavy metal acts.

"Bob and I have been involved in very different facets of the music industry," she says. "Together, we were going to disagree, and I foresaw that and welcomed that. I wanted someone who challenged me. We shot for the stars, and we reached where we wanted to be."