‘SCREAM IF YOU WANNA GO FASTER’: A long time ago, in a galaxy far away — actually it wasn’t that long ago, it was May of 1998, and that galaxy was Spice world, when suddenly everything came crashing down as Geri Halliwell a.k.a. Ginger Spice left the biggest group of the 1990s.

She left the Spice Girls at the peak of their popularity, and things were never the same again. Life went on with the Spice Girls releasing a third album “Forever” which flopped due to poor marketing and no tour to support it. On the other hand, the former Ginger Spice released her first solo album “Schizophonic,” which went double platinum and spawned three consecutive No. 1 singles.

Like her or loathe her, Ms. G can’t seem to do anything quietly, so it’s quite appropriate that her second solo album is titled “Scream If You Wanna Go Faster.” Gone are the strings and breathy vocals that were so prevalent on her debut album. Geri instead settles on a more straightforward pop approach.

Geri co-wrote 11 tracks on the album and also served as executive producer. The album also includes a cover of “The Weather Girls” “It’s Raining Men” which has already reached the No. 1 position in the UK singles chart.

The album starts with the title track, which has a very 60s retro rock feel to it. The rest of the album is not very cohesive. Geri serves up helpings of acoustic ballads in “Circle Round the Moon” and “Love is the Only Light,” upbeat funk with “Shake Your Bootie Cutie.” She again explores the virtues of “Girl Power” in “Strength of a Woman.” The highlight of the album has to be the track “Being Geri Halliwell” which pokes fun at her celebrity and at the world of tabloid journalism.

“Scream If You Wanna Go Faster” is a brave attempt by Ms. G and is should satisfy all your pop music requirements.

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(For more information on Geri Halliwell, go to www.geri-halliwell.com.)

 

 

‘A GIRL LIKE ME’: Emma — don’t you dare call me Baby Spice — Bunton’s first solo effort is quite surprisingly a mature one. “A Girl Like Me” follows in the solo-spice tradition of not making an album, which sounds like your band mates. “A Girl Like Me” uses Bunton’s throaty voice to good effect, pairing it with strings and acoustic guitar-driven rhythms, going for a sound between Gabrielle and early Lisa Stansfield records. This results in radio-friendly summery pop.

The album kicks off with the chart topper “What Took You So Long,” a stylish and standout track with a southern feel to it. It is followed by another southern-esque track “Better Be Careful.” Both tracks are extremely MOR.

Some tracks on the album could have very well been Spice Girl songs, an example of this is “World Without You” which is reminiscent of “2 Become 1” and the tracks “Been There Done That” and “She Was a Friend” that could have been outtakes from the “Forever” sessions. There are two cover versions on the album; Edie (I married Paul Simon and don’t have a career anymore) Brickell’s “What I Am” and a re-working of Zoe’s “Sunshine on a Rainy Day,” produced in a similar style to that of Madonna’s “Don’t Tell Me.”

Overall, “A Girl Like Me” is a thoroughly enjoyable affair, and quite possibly the best solo-spice album, so go and buy it.

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(For information on Emma Bunton, go to www.emmabunton.net.)