Customer Reviews

Scream If You Want to Go Faster

5 star:		(42)
4 star:		(22)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

Being in the Spice Girls was a good stepping stone for Geri Halliwell. Going solo was an even better career move. On Scream If You Wanna Go Faster, which betters her debut Schizophonic, she's lost none of that Ginger spirit despite losing that moniker. Geri is not merely enjoying herself on this album--she is simultaneously embracing life and seizing it for what it's worth. As she herself writes in the album sleeve, never lose the kid in you. That's something she'll always have, along with that essential Britishness about her.

What really struck me was the consistent 70's dance/soul sound permeating throughout. Yes, Geri was the retro girl and still is, and what's wrong with that? Nothing at all--it's all good!

The rocking title track, "Shake Your Booty Cutey," and "Don't Call Me Baby" are exemplify the 70's sound, with the latter reminding me of another 1990's song with a retro 70's sound, namely Vanessa Paradis' "Be My Baby" which was produced by Lenny Kravitz, so that's hardly surprising. The final song, "I Was Made That Way," is reminiscent of "Undercover Angel," "Native New Yorker," and other pop ballads of the late 70's. "Heaven And Hell (Being Geri Halliwell)" starts out with a brief accordian solo before launching into a fast-paced rocker with some distorted vocals, rapping rhymes, a snatch of ballad, a bit of circus music. It's her kitchen sink song.

Other songs worthy of mention: "Love Is The Only Light" is a top-notch ballad that belong with "Walkaway" and "Lift Me Up" from her previous album. "Strength Of A Woman" is the only track here that has an 80's sound, like a cross between Climie Fisher and Bananarama. And "Lovey Dovey Stuff" might as well have been an Ace Of Base reject that Geri improved with her sound.

Scream's jewel of the crown without a doubt is her cover of the Weather Girls' "It's Raining Men," which spent two weeks at the top spot on the UK charts. I've noticed her penchant for 60's and 70's covers, as was evidenced by "These Boots Are Made For Walkin'" on Rugrats In Paris and Doris Day's "Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps" on American Sweethearts.

Geri has had a bumpy year so far. She got fined for speeding, had her home burgled, and to cap it all, was dissed by former bandmate Victoria Beckham, who said she'd like to see Geri drown! (And I thought Liam Gallagher was nasty!)

Well, this album should hopefully make up for all that bad stuff. Oh yes, and with this review being composed on 5 August, this is a birthday present, one day early. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GERI, and cheers!! You're my hero.

Geri Halliwell. She's feisty, sexy and everything you never expected her to be. After 1999's incredible solo debut, "Schizophonic", Geri is back and better than ever. Her second album "Scream If You Wanna Go Faster" was well worth the wait and is, like "Schizophonic, an ecclectic array of sounds that should appeal to Geri fans, Spice fans and anyone who likes good music. The album opens with.....

1) SCREAM IF YOU WANNA GO FASTER. Listen to this with the top down and at full volume. More of a rock sound, this track is a perfect way to open the album. Certainly will get the energy pumping as soon as the chorus catches on.

2) SHAKE YOUR BOOTIE CUTIE. Geri was inspired by a Ricky Martin concert, or more so his bootie, to write this song. Not as good as I had hoped, but still a funky and sexy dance tune with cheesy lyrics that is sort of like her previous tune "Bag It Up".

3) CALLING. Geri shows amazing maturity in writing and singing with this soulful ballad. Bathed in goregeous ambience, the tune has a Shirly Bassey feel to it, and with it's strings and spanish guitar strumming it would seem to fit perfectly in a James Bond film. One of the album's best tunes.

4) FEELS LIKE SEX. Definitely the most saucy writing Geri has done yet, but as much as you think the song will just be laced with sex reference after sex reference, it turns out to be a funky and likeable pop/house track. "......we don't even have to get undressed, just because it feels like sex"

5) CIRCLES ROUND THE MOON. Inspired by the Harry Potter novels, this is the album's "Lift Me Up". Mid tempo pop tune with the same feel to "Lift Me Up". Uplifting and is the kind of song to play when feeling down.

6) LOVE IS THE ONLY LIGHT. A simple guitar strummed ballad, that has a little Eric Clapton feel to it. The story behind this tune is very touching. Geri visited a young child who was dying and when the child passed away, Geri felt like she was mad at God. If you listen to the words, you should be touched.

7) STRENGTH OF A WOMAN. Pure girl power tune to get you back on your feet. Will appeal more to women, but it's just so darn catchy. A bit of a motown feel to it.

8) DON'T CALL ME BABY. Before you think Geri has ripped off Aussie dance duo Madison Avenue, think again. Geri has borrowed the sound of Spice Girl tune "Stop", for this easy to listen to blues type song.

9) LOVEY DOVEY STUFF. Well she's done pop, jazz, latin, motown, disco and rock. Why not reggae. Yes that's right. And as much as you think Geri may not be able to pull it off, it is easily one of the best dance tunes on the album and is perfectly fitted to be a holiday relax song.

10) IT'S RAINING MEN. Geri's take on the Weathergirls' hit single. And as much as people think she has ruined it, I believe she's done a good job, and it is fun to listen to. Plus she caouldn't of done too badly to stay at number 1 for two weeks in the UK with it.

11) HEAVEN AND HELL (BEING GERI HALLIWELL). Clever look at public image and how everyone gets their fifteen minutes of fame. An interesting song which blends many different sounds together.

12) I WAS MADE THAT WAY. After such an exhausting ride of 11 fabulous tracks, "Scream If You Wanna Go Faster" comes to a close with this easy to listen to ballad, that reminds me a little of "Schizophonic"'s "Someone's Watching Over Me".

All in all a fantastic album. A must buy.

Geri Halliwell's 2nd solo album after her break-up from the Spice Girls is a feisty, fun, and effortless listen. She doesn't have a great voice - more a low pitched growl than anything - but once she gets revved up on tracks like "Scream If you Wanna Go Faster", "Feels Like Sex", "Shake Your Booty Cutie", "It's Raining Men" and "Heaven and Hell (Being Geri Halliwell)" it does what it needs to do. A few of her mid-tempo ballads are nice as far as easy-listening is concerned, but it's the dance tunes that work best.

Perhaps the best thing about Geri is the fun she seems to be having. Even if some of her lyrics are flat-out cheesy, you know it's all tongue-and-cheek. If anything, this album will bring a smile to your face for the hour or so that it takes to listen to it.

Once you remove the disc from it's case, Geri's written advice is "Go Play! Never lose the kid in you! What are you waiting for?"

This is no more than obvious when you begin to spin this album. This is an inspirational pop record, now that may have sounded odd. But it is true. Today, a lot of pop artist's totally rely on either a hot body or a hot track to sell records, & while that is not a bad thing & is needed at times, it doesn't exactly summarize what pop music is meant to be. Pop is an amalgam of sounds, something crafted to take you upon a journey. It is meant to have a spirit.

Geri Halliwell embodies all that is great in pop. Her persona is fun, yet at the same time she just isn't some painted up pop puppet; she's always had something to say. And Geri can't ever just say it...she does it!

From the sassy rock throwback opener of "Scream If You Wanna go Faster" to the melancholic introspective closer of "I Was Made That Way" Geri has designed a record that appeals to everyone.

While Geri isn't the most accomplished singer, some of her best vocal work is here & she continues to forge a path as one of the best vocal stylist's in the business. She writes songs that fit her range & works from there. This is apparent on probably the best ballad Geri has done to date, "Calling". A love song that tells of the back & forth attitudes lovers have in a relationship, how the journey of love is a discovery. Geri's vocal's here evoke passion, melancholy, & they surprisngly soar without grating. Other songwriting highlights include the breezy "Circles Round the Moon" & erm...'girl power' anthem that doesn't sound misdirected "Strength of A Woman".

Musically Geri stays diverse without spreading herself thin. Working from a pop foundation Geri can move from balladry soundscapes to over the top, camp dance numbers such as the "Faith" inspired "Feels Like Sex" & comical rump shaker "Shake Your Bootie Cutie".

Only when Geri tries to defend herself from the UK press on the misguided, yet interesting "Heaven & Hell (Being Geri Halliwell) does she lose her footing. It just doesn't match the tongue-in-cheek ice queen attitude of her previous press attack "You're In A Bubble" from "Schizophonic".

It seems now that Geri has lost her pop eccentricity musically, & moved in a more 'dance'-like sound direction. If you'd like to hear what may be her last eccentric sounding record, then "Scream If You Wanna Go Faster" is worth the import price tag.

Geri Halliwell's "Scream If You Want to Go Faster" is a collection of catchy, enjoyable pop tunes. It is a great listen from start to finish and is highly recommended. The title track has a real rock feel. Personal favorites include "Circles Round the Moon," "Strength of a Woman," and "Don't Call Me Baby." The album gets four stars only because her follow-up CD, "Passion" is her best work to date. She keeps getting better and better.

Wow what a difference good producers and a decent batch of songs can do. After foisting on the public the utter cringefest of limp dance tunes and even limper ballads that constituted her debut SCHIZOPHONIC, Geri Halliwell has managed to do a complete one-eighty--if she actually had a place in the public conscience, this would be considered a miraculous comeback--with
the gloriously trashy SCREAM IF YOU WANNA GO FASTER. Whereas her debut drowned her primary draw--her personality--this disc manages to bring it out in droves. Working with a clutch of strong producers(Rick Nowels, New Radicals'Gregg Alexander/Danielle Brisebois), she's managed to produce one of the giddiest pop records to come out all year, even if it is a bit kitschy. The title track,as well as 'Don't Call Me Baby,are great throwbacks to '60s guitar pop, and if 'Shake Your Booty Cutie' and 'Feels Like Sex' make you cringe at the sight of the titles, it doesn't stop them from being supremely crafted pop songs. The ballads here are also slightly better this time around, particularly the gentle 'Circles Round The Moon' and 'Love Is The Only Light'. Not to say that there aren't any time-killers--'I Was Made That Way' is pretty much vapor, and
'Heaven and Hell(Being Geri Halliwell)'could have been a wonderfully clever tongue-in-cheek track if it didn't buckle under it's own egocentricities. And the cover of 'It's Raining Men' has the requisiste drama, decent but unspectacular(though it could actually achieve camp greatness in the hands of say,Kylie Minogue), so it doesn't really add or detract from the record. As for what she passes off to record execs and the buying public as singing, well, it's actually improved somewhat(which I guess is sort of a non-statement in itself), though that's a nonissue here. It's all about having fun, which is exactly what this record is. Highly recommended.

I don't own any of Geri's albums; a friend had it and I'm always on the lookout for good music and I was a Spice Girls fan, so I decided to give it a listen. Geri has a nasally voice, and I guess you have to like her to accept it. This is not an atrocious album, but it's not really good either. Check out her first one "Schizophrenic". It's much better. Two songs do I like are "I was made that way". And "Don't call me baby". It has a swinging 60's sound to it. But I swear that she sampled that from Vanessa Paradis' "Be my baby". They almost sound identical! Yet I think I like Geri's version better, even though I do like Vanessa's. But Geri's a different type of artist; she doesn't really fall into a category with the way her voice sounds, and the songs she puts out. It's like she's quirky, old school, and fun pop all in one. I think she has potential. her best asset is the songwriting. She seems to write on things other than the usual pop star fluff: I love a guy, I go to clubs with my friends, why isn't this guy calling?, e.t.c. Would she have been successful with her albums if she hadn't been in the Spice Girls previously? In my opinion, yes and no. She would defintely get some sales and some press, but not as much as whatever she has had.

Geri always has been one of my favorite Spice Girls!

I received a *huge* collection of Spice and solo-Spice CDs as a gift from a friend, and I've gotta say, "Scream" is one of the best solo efforts of any of the girls.

Geri Halliwell has always been underestimated, maybe it's because of her "persona," but she is an intellectual and a wonderful talent. I admire her ability to buck the musical "establishment" and go with what she is deep down. "Scream If You Wanna Go Faster" doesn't seem to be too much of a departure from "Schizophonic." Both albums carry Halliwell's wacky sense of style and has that special "touch," that just seems to always work. She jumps from fun to meaningful and deep all over the place, every other song it seems, which makes for a piece of work that is unexpected and never gets boring. When you put it together, it's interesting, rather than unorganized. Let's face it, every move Geri makes is thought through.

Yep, she promised us she would be back, better than ever; and she's live up to it.

Geri has totally parted from her former identity as Ginger Spice, of the Spice Girls. She can deffinately stand up on her own two feet.
She displays more confidence. This is totally a no-holds-barred CD.
Geri holds nothing back, as she pours her heart and soul into making this album.

First off, I love Geri Halliwell more than I did when she was in the Spice Girls. I was always more of a Scary Spice kinda guy and adored Sporty's vocal power. With that said, I was willing to purchase Geri's first album "Schizophonic" without expecting a whole lot from her. To my surprise, I loved every last bit of it. It was quite clear that Ms. Halliwell's talents were squashed by the whole of the Spice Girls machine.

Now comes the second offering from my girl Geri. I must admit I was never a fan of the old disco chestnut, "It's Raining Men". I didn't really know why until I heard Geri's version. I just didn't like the Weather Girls. I can't get enough of this song!! Geri's version is great and reminds me of the scene in "Bridget Jones's Diary" in which it was played. It sports total energy and enthusiasm.

Beyond that initial single, one would wonder if ol' Ginge' would be able to repeat the brilliance of her debut CD. Indeed she could and she HAS! The opening strains of "Scream" pretty much sum up the content of this disc. It's a wild and sunny ride all the way through. Many of the tracks have a retro feel to them, whether it's in late 60s pop, the 70s "California" sound to 80s pop/dance. This album isn't mired in its retro-styled sensibilities, but rather it is very much an album of the moment and you will LOVE being in it!

I'm pretty sure that the other reviews will give you an idea of what the songs are like so I don't wish to go into a full expository of them. I just wanted to give you an idea of why I liked this disc.

Unlike the Spice Girls's last album "Forever", in which they experienced a "Girl Power Brown-Out" of sorts, Geri is showing us that "Girl Power" is alive and well. The feeling of this disc is that of exuberance, humour and an overall appreciation of all that life has to offer. That's not such a bad thing to have in YOUR life... is it?