Geri Halliwell
Scream If You Wanna Go Faster

Pop, pure pop.

Before starting with critiques (a neutral term to indicate both strengths and weaknesses), it is important to know what is being discussed. I must emphasize that we are talking about pure commercial music. Those who do not like the genre will certainly not be able to appreciate this album that overflows with pop!

"Scream If You Wanna Go Faster" begins with the title track that kicks off this album with a particularly energetic song (the translated title is "Scream if you want to go faster") that seems almost possessed. The raspy voice of the former Ginger Spice seems suitable for this kind of song. The second track ("Shake Your Bootie Cutie"), equally lively, is less impactful, though. It becomes evident that there is an almost obsessive use of electronic sounds that try to make an overly fragile track interesting. Yet, with the third track, Geri unveils a little gem of this album: the ballad "Calling". Certainly, the singer's voice is not as suitable as that of a Whitney Houston might be, but it holds its own. A very balanced song. The album then returns to pure energy with the fourth song of this album that has so far been well presented: "Feels Like Sex". Here too, we find very modern sounds, but this time they are well-chosen, and the ex-Spice's voice fits well within the musical context. Towards the end of the track, the singer showcases some really good backing vocals.

From the fifth track, the album becomes too monotonous. The tracklist was designed to immediately grab the listener's attention in the initial tracks, at the expense, however, of the central part of the album, which lacks energetic songs or well-written ballads. We are in the realm of mid-tempo tracks, with the exception of the bland "Love Is The Only Light", which, although pleasant to listen to, turns out to be a bit too banal (and boring). Essentially, the adrenaline significantly drops until the global hit "It's Raining Men". This track reintroduced the public to a Geri Halliwell with incredibly toned abs (but verging on anorexia). The song, a cover of an '80s hit by the Weather Girls, is contagiously powerful, making you want to dance. We must remember, of course, that covers are rarely better than the originals. This time is no different. Geri doesn't even come close to the voices of the Weather Girls, but honestly, she doesn’t even try. Her work was about updating the song to the sounds that are currently popular. And the result is a commercial product that achieved great success. Halliwell’s voice seems capable of supporting that kind of notes. It's a pity that performances of this song have always been strictly in playback.

The doubt about her actual abilities, unfortunately, remains.

We reach the final stages of this album, which starts off well, becomes excessively laid-back halfway through, and picks up again at the third-to-last track. The penultimate track, "Heaven & Hell (Being Geri Halliwell)", is an introspective song about fame and the pros and cons of constantly being in the spotlight. What stands out is the mix of sounds that compose this song. To illustrate, at one point, we find sounds reminiscent of amusement park tunes. It’s a nice experiment. Perhaps it indulges too much in egocentrism.

The last track is "I Was Made That Way", an introspective and boring song. A terrible conclusion for an album that certainly deserved a better ending.

An album rich in modern sounds, with a raspy voice not always suitable but that performs its job without off-key notes. Criticizing Halliwell solely because she is "too commercial" would be easy. In fact, as we’ve seen, she has good ideas. The important thing is not to overdo it.