Geri Halliwell

If anyone was going to leave the Spice Girls for her own solo career, it would have been Geri Halliwell. She pushed her way to the front of the pack on their debut single, "Wannabe," and she soon became known for the clever, saucy quip and the occasional good-natured scandal (she made naughty nude photographs seem quaint, almost like a pop tradition...first Madonna, now Geri). Throughout their reign as dance-pop queens, the Spices always seemed as a cohesive unit, banded together by Girl Power. So it was no little shock when Halliwell decided to leave the group in the summer of 1998 -- she was the ringleader, the brassy voice for girl power. Surprisingly, the Spice Girls regrouped and found a new voice, while Halliwell seemed a little lost. She dove head-first into maturity, dressing in sensible suits and becoming, of all things, a Goodwill Ambassador of the U.N. It was as if Robbie Williams had suddenly turned into Gary Barlow. Fortunately, by the time she cut her debut solo album, Halliwell had realized that it was her spunk and character that made her a pop star -- and she explained away the rapid shift in image in the title, Schizophonic. Not so coincidentally, Schizophonic is also a description of the album's contents. As if she's intent on proving her artistic worth, Halliwell is determined to do it all, from incessantly catchy dance-pop and sweet ballads to Latin-pop and a radio-ready revamp of Madchester psychedelia. Perhaps such ambition shouldn't be a surprise, since the Spice Girls did stretch themselves on Spiceworld, but never to this extent. Such ambition is certainly reminiscent of Madonna, clearly an idol and inspiration to Geri, but Halliwell doesn't have the same caliber of collaborators as the Material Girl. And since she is still finding the best ways to exploit her admittedly limited voice, she needs strong collaborators to help her find ways around her weakness. That's not to say she never does so. There's a number of cuts on Schizophonia that sparkle with the same gleeful, unabashed love of pop and dance characteristic of the best Spice Girls or early Madonna records. Invariably, the album soars when it's upbeat -- particularly on the self-conscious, silly "Look at Me," the neo-disco "Bag it Up," "Let Me Love You" and the closer "You're in a Bubble" -- since Halliwell's voice (which is always about charisma, not technique) sounds better when it's surrounded by glittery, flashy dance beats. Once the tempo slows, her limitations become apparent and her sentimental streak is revealed. That said, when the slower numbers give her a chance to be a diva, such as the jazzy "Goodbye Kiss," they work, because the focus is back on her. Ultimately, that's what Schizophonia is all about -- a statement of purpose from the newly independent Geri Halliwell. If it sounds awkward at times and brash at others, if it veers between the tacky and tasteful, if it is both good and bad, that's just how she is. And that's what makes her and the album likeable. [Schizophonic is also available in a limited-edition release.] ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide