The latest album from the Spice Girls puts the "pop" in "lollipop." It is sugary, sticky, too sweet too soon and involves some major sucking.
After three years, two babies (both named after American cities), two weddings and two solo albums, the Spice Girls are "right back at ya" with their newest album, "Forever." It's been four and a half years since "Wannabe" ravaged the globe, making the Spice Girls an international pop phenomenon that just wouldn't go away. They have already made a movie ("Spiceworld") and have had nine number-one singles in their brief recording career. During the three-year hiatus since their last album, one Spice, Geri Halliwell, left the group, while the remaining Spices completed or started work on solo projects. The group also performed with Pavarotti, and Mel C recorded a duet with Bryan Adams. Give them credit -- they work hard. And, most importantly, Mel B, Mel C, Emma and Victoria broke through on American airwaves a couple years before Britney, Christina, Mandy and Jessica.
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According to Emma, the new album is "fun, sassy, cheeky, sexy and Spicy!" All true, but the tremendous energy and vitality of the first album, "Spice," is missing here. This time around, the Girls teamed up with well-known R&B producer Rodney "Darkchild" Jenkins, who added some R&B flava but not as much fun. The 11 songs on "Forever" are all well produced -- the dance songs have great beats and the ballads are enriched, lush musical landscapes. What I'm not getting from "Forever" is the attitude and overall "spiciness" of the Girls' earlier music.
The Spice Girls definitely are trying to be sexy and more "adult" on this album. "Holler," "Get Down with Me" and "If You Wanna Have Some Fun" all deal with horniness in its various forms. None of this "if you wannabe my lover" crap, these girls can't wait to get down and dirty. "I wanna make you holler," "gonna take you for a ride," "come and get some fun 'cos you know I'll give you some." Is this some new manifestation of girl power? Girls! Control yourselves!
As with most pop albums, there are the requisite love ballads. "Let Love Lead the Way" (self-explanatory) and "Time Goes By" (a song about undying love) are both smooth with great four-part harmonies. But really, how many times have we heard these songs? They'd fit on any Celine Dion album. There's one other ballad on the album worth mentioning -- "Goodbye," the last and most moving song, deals with death and how to say goodbye. The Girls have done a wonderful job on this song -- it's packed with emotion and meaningful words, with simple yet especially gorgeous harmony among the four voices.
"Right Back at Ya" sums it all up. "The girls are coming round again; right back at ya -- this time, we're changing the vibe." More R&B-style vocals surface on "Forever" than on the Girls' previous albums. In "Right Back at Ya" and "Weekend Love," Scary Spice spits out a few seconds of rapid-fire Brit-rap, proving the Girls are great at fast-paced vocals. Unfortunately, the slower vocals on their new album fall somewhat flat. They just aren't exciting without the emotion and fireworks needed for such vocals to work.
The Spice Girls are at their best when they're having fun. The dance songs, especially "If You Wanna Have Some Fun" and "Holler," will spice up your life. We all know that the Spice Girls' music possesses little depth and originality, but come on, you can't deny that it's wicked fun.
Grade: C-
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