Before
I start going through track by track, I want to say that this is by no means my
favourite Spice album ever, but it definitely doesn't deserve all of the bad
press it got. OK, maybe the Spice Girls should have made it a bit more poppy,
but the more mature approach isn't half bad. Personally, having 'Darkchild' said
all over the place can get a bit annoying, the cover’s dull and the song
writing credits were a bit disappointing, but overall, it's still a good album.
The Girls were right to leave it after one single, though – they had
better success as solo artists than they would have as a group.
Anyway, here's my review:
Holler:
I wasn't really impressed with the live Earls Court version of this, but the CD
version is thankfully much better! Not the in-your-face start to the album as
'Spice' or 'Spiceworld' had, but it still deserved the number 1 spot it got!
Nice to see all the Girls got ad libs in this song, and the best bit is when
Melanie sings 'all night, all night long..' The one let down to this is the
Darkchild parts, but I have grown to like it.. Top marks for the video, too!
6/10
Tell
Me Why: When I heard that this was going to start with a computer voice, for
some reason I was expecting a man's! (How sexist of me..!) It's great to see
Victoria's got a lot more lines on this album, and this song's no exception!
This is probably my least favourite song on the album, but it still has its high
points, for example the bridge, and a fairly catchy chorus. One question: where
is Melanie C on the writing credits? Yet more Darkchild... A few more songs with
the old producers and co-writers wouldn't have gone amiss here..
6/10
Let
Love Lead The Way: I took me about two weeks to realise how fantastic this song
actually is! It's the same with a lot of ballads, they have to grow on me. This
is better than a lot of Spice ballads in the past have been, and I love the
chorus. The bridge in this has to be one of the best in any Spice song, but it's
a pity it went fairly unnoticed when released as a single. I also really like
the ad libs in this, although it took me a while to get used to Melanie B's bits
in the second to last chorus. However, now when I listen to the single version
it just feels like something's missing! Fantastic video for this one too! 8.5/10
Right
Back At Ya: Not a bad track, and definitely one of the best on the album. This
almost 'oriental' version is better than the one sung at Earls Court, and the
rap is great! I've really missed Mel B's raps, having not had one since 'Step To
Me', and this one doesn't disappoint! It's nice to see that Victoria gets some
ad libs here. Pity
that looking back on it, the lyrics seem like lies.
8/10
Get
Down With Me: The quality continues here, although unfortunately Rodney Jerkins
makes yet another appearance. Saying that, however, his bits are much better
than in other songs on the album. ('Scary, you ready?' - great!) This is the
most poppy song on the album, and I think it could work very well as a single.
It's kind of a grown-up 'Who Do You Think You Are?' or 'Never Give Up'. Another
great bridge to this one, although it does ending it with 'yeah yeah yeah' seems
to suggest whoever wrote this part ran out of ideas. I love Melanie C's ad libs
at the end of this, and the drum beats at the end remind me of the great, lost
track 'Can't Stay Tonight'. Good work. 7.5/10
Wasting
My Time: This one sounds a lot like 'Get Down With Me', beat wise, although for
some reason it doesn't do much for me. It's possibly the least catchy track on
the album, and where's Mel B? Victoria's voice is nice on the bridge, but this
song just doesn't seem to go anywhere. It has grown on me since first listening
to it, though. 'Woman' could have replaced this one. 6/10
Weekend
Love: Another class ballad here... or is it? It certainly starts off that way
with Emma's sweet 'lalalalalalas', but the chorus has more beat to it than many
ballads do. Nice piano work on the second verse leads up to the second chorus
and another brilliant bridge, which seems to be leading up to something.. and
then that's where the rap kicks in. This fits into the song so badly, it just
makes the track absolutely fantastic! (I know that doesn't make sense.) It's
brilliant, and if this was released as a single without the rap, it'd be a
crime! Then before you know it (the join between the rap and the chorus is my
favourite part of the whole album!) the song ends how it started.
7/10
Time
Goes By: I've seen some reviews that have criticised this ballad for being too
slow and boring, but I disagree. It is one of the slowest Spice songs ever, but
it's still really nice and relaxing, and is at its best when listened to late at
night. Credit here to Melanie B's ad libs in the second chorus, the harmony at
'what if I told you..' and Victoria going into Posh overload in the bridge. The
end of this song will be the new one to get Melanie C in floods of tears when
sung live, à la 'Viva Forever'. 7.5/10
If
You Wanna Have Some Fun: I can't decide about this one.. Sometimes I think it's
one of the best songs on the album, and sometimes I don't really like it at all.
The intro is great, although it takes a while to kick in. The 'wink wink, nudge
nudge' bits are funny and Monty Python-esque, and the chorus is possibly the
best on the album. Another highlight is the parts just before the chorus ('Ooh..sugar',
'Do you wanna go?' - Some of the best bits on te album!) Melanie B's verse is
good, as is Melanie C's bit straight afterwards. From then on, though, it just
gets dull. Was there really any need to have a minute and a half of choruses at
the end, or were the Girls just trying to get at least one track on the album
over 5 minutes? 7/10
Oxygen:
For many, this is one of the best songs on the album, maybe even the best Spice
song ever, but I just find it a little wishy-washy and soppy. Whereas 'Time Goes
By' managed to compensate for the slow tempo, this song can't quite cut it,
although the lyrics are nice, and Melanie B's verse is the best. I'm sorry, but
this would make the most caffeine-filled person drowsy. I know lots of people
say this should be a single, and I can see a very classy underwater video going
with it, but I don't think the public would take to it. Sorry girls! 6/10
Goodbye:
This isn't as ka-blam as the album enders on 'Spice' or 'Spiceworld', but I
guess having a track called 'Goodbye' at the beginning of the album would be
pretty stupid.. This is a really nice song, the best bits being Melanie B's
'look for the rainbow' parts and Victoria's bridge, which, like many others on
the album, ranks along the classics. A well-deserved Christmas number 1, and
further proof that the old co-writers are usually the best. Why this version is
a bit shorter than the single I don't know, but it still doesn't stop it being a
brilliant track. 8/10
Overall:
Congratulations to the Girls for making another good album, although it could
have been much better. This one needed to grow on you, which promotion could
have helped, but the Girls just didn’t have their hearts in it.
It’d be sad if this was the last Spice Girls album, but if they’re
going to come back with something like this, which they didn’t really seem to
have much interest in, then I wouldn’t bother, if I were them. Final mark,
6.5/10
