Old spice is bland

You can order curried chicken at Earl's - but if you want the real thing, you're probably better off at New Asian Village.

 The solo debut from the Artist Formerly Known as Ginger Spice (out Tuesday) should be taken with the same grain of salt, as it were.

 With an ordinary voice that's no better or worse than Madonna's, Geri Halliwell presents a bland yet filling platter of polished tunes loaded with artificial sweeteners. These catchy songs span the world of pop music, but they're sadly lacking in either musical or emotional impact - beyond that of pure fun, of course. For best results, take it as camp theatre.

 She plays a Mae West-style vamp in the opening Look At Me, which is by far the best song of the lot. She mines East Indian sounds in Let Me Love You, raps in You're in a Bubble (a shot at one of several former managers?), tries to be Holly Cole in the bombastic torch song Goodnight Kiss and takes the Latin trail in Mi Chico Latino. Though her mother is Spanish, Halliwell is no Gloria Estefan.

 Hints of "girl power" can be heard, particularly in songs like Bag it Up, with its "treat him like a lady" refrain over the bubbly Latin disco beat. There's an attempt to balance this with "serious" fare, but the most supposedly heartfelt ballad, Walkaway, is laughable. She's woefully unconvincing.

 If Ginger - sorry, Geri - sticks to her strengths and takes a few more chances next time, she stands a good chance of having a true artistic life after the Spice Girls. Otherwise she may be begging to be let back in.

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