Free Me

Will her fans get this? Does she still have fans? Who is Emma Bunton? Like all the other Spice Girls she's searching for a musical identity after losing a collective wholeness. Note the change from Emma Bunton to Emma, another way to separate past from present. But having Brazilian musical plastic surgery doesn't cover up the fact that underneath the alterations is a woman undergoing the painful process of finding artistic individuality. She best achieves this on the ironically titled "No Sign of Life". This is by no means a bad album. "Breathing", after a few plays, sounds like a possible No. 1. "Who the Hell Are You?" could easily power a car advert. It doesn't say a lot but sounds fun, which is about right for this album. --Jake Barnes