Forever
Since we last heard from them, the Spice Girls have hired new producers  and writers, hoping to adopt an R&B; edge with harder beats and a grittier sound.  Gone are the cuddly wannabes of yesteryear, replaced by thinner, tougher  glamazons of the new millenniumSpice World. ButForever's strategy is a serious misstep--one that will disappoint their old fans and alienate new ones. "Holler," the first single, is standard-issue urban pop, with a beat you've heard before and terribly generic lyrics, promising to make you "do things you thought you would never do." As a matter of fact, you've heard all of this before: for "Tell Me Why," the Girls bite the computer-generated voice fromTLC'sFan Mail, and borrow the vocoder fromCher's "Believe" sessions. "Right Back at Ya," their official comeback anthem, is trite and predictable: "Our friendship is forever," Baby Spice testifies. "You thought we wouldn't make it this far," Sporty sneers, and she's right. But they haven't made it yet--and with this material they don't deserve to.--Courtney Kemp