Free Me

The first solo album from ex-Spice Girl Emma Bunton produced one great single in the shape of ‘What Took You So Long’ but the overall consensus was that it sounded, like Emma, very sweet but that, like Emma also, it didn’t have any balls. Nonetheless it hinted that she was interested in finding her own personality rather than just desperately seeking chart success to fill the void of her post-Spice career. The second album, full of annoyingly catchy ’60s/bossa nova pop pastiches, is quite frankly the kind of album you want to kick the shit out of yourself for liking, but just can’t quite resist..
Starting off with restrained James Bond soundtrack-style strings, the title track breaks into a pleading chorus of “Free me…I long to seduce you again”, and you get the feeling that there could be, like, a message in there somewhere. ‘Maybe’ sounds all French and fluffy and offers more proof that if there is such a genre as ‘sophisticated bubblegum pop’ then this girl fits right into it. Likewise ‘I’ll Be There’ starts off sounding like a downbeat boring ballad before a bright key change comes along, builds in the bridge and bursts into a big sunny chorus.
‘Cheeky Latino lounge’ is normally a phrase that would have me reaching swiftly for the sick bag, but there’s no denying that ‘Crickets Sing for Anamaria’ sounds like a summer hit in the waiting.
True, there’s a fair few gaps of blandness on here as well, not least the collaboration with some Enrique wannabe on the shite ‘Amazing’, and the Cathy Dennis assisted ‘Lay Your Love On Me’ cries out for a bit of Pink-style oomph. But Emma has found a musical personality for herself and it suits her; cute and sassy, lush and stylish. Hey, I know it’s only only pop music but, whisper it, I kinda like it…