Still some Spice left in Halliwell yet

The artist formerly known as Ginger Spice is all over the map style-wise on her debut solo album, in stores Tuesday. Thus the title.

 The good news is that the first Spice Girl to pursue a solo career hasn't totally embarrassed herself on this 10-song collection which, truthfully, isn't a far cry from the music she made with her former British girl group. Particularly the sexy, vampy Goodnight Kiss, which could be a Spice anthem.

 Truthfully, too, you have to ask yourself whether anyone would really care about this release, a mix of frothy and fun dance songs and middle-of-the-road pop, if it wasn't Halliwell doing the singing. Can Sporty and Scary -- the Spices most likely to leave the fold next -- be far behind?

 Produced by the Bristol duo Absolute Boys, Halliwell does best when she's got her audience on the dance floor with such songs as the Shirley

 Bassey-like first single, Look At Me, which already went to No. 2 in England; the Flamenco-tinged Mi Chico Latino (I can already hear the remix) with Halliwell singing in both English and Spanish; and Bag It Up, a battle-of-the-sexes disco song with horns, strings and plenty of attitude.

 The schmaltzy pop of Lift Me Up and Someone Watching Over Me I can do without.

 Halliwell does succeed, however, in being truly thoughtful on Walk Away, backed by a string section and seemingly contemplating her break from the Spices.

 "Walk away with pride, nothing left to hide, but it just feels right to be one and just walk away," sings Halliwell.

 In terms of other styles, the gospel song Sometime begins promisingly with a church organ and choir before revving up into something louder and harder.

 "Treat me kind, keep me safe, show me love, I'll embrace, if you take me home, where I was born, I'll find peace of mind, somehow," sings Halliwell off the top.

 Then there's Let Me Love You, which appears to be Halliwell's tribute to The Beatles in their Maharishi Mahesh Yogi phase. The song begins with Hindu chanting and a sitar before breaking down into a trippy dance number.

 Finally, there's the album-ending You're In A Bubble, a fiesty attack on the trappings of celebrity, Spice Girl-style.

 "It's important to learn to laugh at ourselves -- don't take life too seriously," says Halliwell before launching into the song, which could contain a message to her former bandmates.

 "You're in a bubble, the money's just doubled, so call the police, 'cause your karma's in trouble, big mouth, big money, you bitch, you ain't that funny," sings Halliwell.

 Turns out there's still a bit of the outspoken Ginger left in her yet.

Track Listing 1. Look At Me 2. Lift Me Up 3. Walk Away 4. Mi Chico Latino 5. Goodnight Kiss 6. Bag It Up 7. Sometime 8. Let Me Love You 9. Someone Watching 10. Over Me 11. You're In A Bubble		Album rating Rate the new Geri album! 0 1 2 3 4 5 Results