What has Ginger Spice been up to? Well, after bailing on the Spice Girls, Geri Halliwell (aka Ginger Spice) got herself a record deal. Schizophonic is more mature than anything the Spice Girls ever released, so it probably won’t appeal to any of the kiddies that gobbled up everything they could mass-produce.
She is surely crossing demographics with this release. “Look At Me” pops like a cork. “Lift Me Up” is very Spice Girl-y, certain to appeal to the same fans she once knew. “Walkaway” is a pretty ballad. This is the best track; you don’t get the bombastic Halliwell spewing out her normal annoyances. The subtleties she lays down from beginning to end offer a new perspective on this entertainer and, forgive me, earn her a little respect.
Latin music is the next fad, right? I guess Halliwell has bought into that. “Mi Chico Latino” sounds a lot like Madonna’s past hit “La Ista Bonita”, while “Goodnight Kiss” adds some jazz and is quite impressive. This album resembles Madonna the more I listen to it. It seems to mix up the many faces that Madonna sported over the years.
“Let Me Love You” has an Indian flavor that seemed beyond Halliwell’s abilities, but she certainly had no problem grasping it. “You’re In A Bubble” begins with Halliwell telling us, “It is important to learn to laugh at yourselves. Don’t take life too seriously.” The song should be a hit. The track seems to be her chance to take pot shots at the rest of the Spice Girls with lines like, “Call the police ’cause your karma’s in trouble you’re losing control cause you’re selling your soul,” and under her breath you hear “You bitch.” Well, now, isn’t that catty. Then in the middle of the track the music pauses and Halliwell announces “I’m only kidding,” with a wicked little laugh. I’m sure she is.
My main problem with this disc is that if you listen to the first minute of any song, you know exactly what you are going to get for the next two or three minutes. The repetition can get annoying, but Halliwell isn’t exactly setting her sights on guys in their twenties. With that said, Geri Halliwell has put together an impressive debut that should define her separation from the Spice Girls. If radio is ready to accept her back, this album should restart her once meteoric rise to fame.
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