Ginger's Dead ! (Schizophonic - Geri Halliwell)

Member Name: 150983

Product:	Schizophonic - Geri Halliwell
Date:	13/08/01 (499 review reads)
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Schizo – adj. – Split
Phonic – adj. – sound

Schizophonic – Split sound (referring to the heaven and hell of Geri Halliwell and the slow and fast tracks on the album.)

Ø History.
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Geri Halliwell split up from the biggest girl band in the world the Spice Girls, a few years back and included in her statement, she said “I’ll be back” and come back she did. Geri has made a name for herself as a solo artist and even though she hasn’t got the greatest voice, she does know how to make some catchy tunes as well as having a great stage presence. I believe that if Geri wasn’t in the Spice girls from the beginning, they would never have got of the ground as she became the fuel which drove the girl group to the top. I wonder why they have only had 2 singles out since she has gone?

Ø The releases
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Geri’s first single release, “Look at me” got to number 2 in the charts but the follow-up single, “Mi Chico Latino” was a number one hit as well as the other releases “Life me up” and “bag it up”. Geri’s comeback single after a well deserved break was the cover of the weather girls hit “It’s Raining Men” this shot to number one and stayed there for two weeks. The second album soon followed but sadly the second release, “Scream if you wanna go faster” the namesake of the album failed to reach the number one spot only reaching number 7 sadly ending her row of number ones.

Ø The Album Tracks.
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Look at me [4:32]

This song has a very interesting intro with great played instruments. It is a really jazzy song with trumpets and sounds rather raunchy. The video that accompanied this song was clever as Geri dressed up as various characters including the bride, the nun, the vamp and the bitch. Many have sai
d that these four characters represented Geri. The song also when getting to the middle eight showed Ginger in a coffin and then showed the new Geri. This video was symbolic of the death of Ginger spice and the birth of Geri. The song is upbeat through-out and the backing vocals help the song along well. The song and the video was a great beginning to Geri’s career. 7.5/10

Lift me up [3:52]

Beginning with an uplifting mood with bird song and various other elements, the third single off this album is a great calming and uplifting track. I like this song as the song itself is a feel good song and it is really nice to listen to. The string accompaniment is well worth a mention as it adds to the great feel of the song. The video to this track involved Geri’s car breaking down on a lonely road where she meets these little aliens (yeah stupid I know) the video accompanied the song well. The climax to the song is my favourite part of the song as it gets even more uplifting. This song is better than the first release and was number one beating Baby Spices hit with “What I am”. 8.5/10

Walk away [5:04]

This is one of my favourites off this album. This song was surprisingly not released and it a very eerie as well as calming track. The track opens with ahhhhs from the vocalists and then Geri enters. She uses her voice in a more melodic way and also uses dynamics more in this song reflecting the mood of the song. Again, the string accompaniment is very good especially I the lead up to the chorus’. The are also additional instruments such as the flutes that add to the song. The song on the whole works well and is great to listen to. The song I think reflects Geri’s life at the time when she left the group as lyrics include “Who knows just where I’m going…..Walk away this time with my head up high” The climax to this song is once again great leading up to a great ending. 9/10


Mi Chico Latino [3:14]

My favourite upbeat track on this album. I loved this single when it was released and it just reeked of summer and the Spanish theme that was so popular at that time of its release. The song begins with the sounds of waves lapping up against the shore and then it takes off with various instruments such as the Spanish guitar and syncopated beats as well as clapping. All these added to the hot summer, far off island theme that ran through-out the song. This song is definitely Spanish and all the elements work well including Geri as she goes back to her roots especially in the Spanish language section in the middle eight of the song. The video to this song was my fave as it involved Geri on a boat with hardly anything on. She looked very fit in this video and it proved that Ginger was dead as well as the spice girls! A great upbeat and very catchy track. 10/10

Goodnight Kiss [4:39]

This song goes back in time a bit and definitely is no way pop related. The song is strongly influenced by the Jazz/ Mowtown Blues periods as this song is very sultry and slow with great instrumental accompaniments from such of the trumpets and brass. When I first heard this song, I was shocked to find it on such an album but although I don’t really like this kind of song, it does grow on you and Geri’s voice suits it well. The vocalist accompanying the singer sing well. 7/10

Bag it up [3:45]

The last release off this album. The video I think was pants but that’s my opinion. Who would like to see a bunch of guys prance around with hardly anything on apart from tight shorts and a bunny tail! Certainly not me! Beginning with a computerised voice, the song leads into a disco filled track. This is a great catchy track with great beats and provoking lyrics “Men are Venus and girls are from Mars” the lyrics basically refer to the differences in men and women emphasising that we are worlds ap
art from each other. The song is really raunchy and very funky. 7.5/10

Sometime [4:05]

This song begins like a hymn with an organ playing the intro and when Geri sings, a choir then accompanies her. The song then progresses into a more urban song with disc scratching and stronger beats. The chorus is rather feel good and is once again catchy. The bridge to each chorus is rather different to the rest of the song and seems to be filled with anger. I like the middle eight to this track, it is reminiscent of Lift me up and then leads back into the bridge which climaxes to the chorus. A track well worth listening to as Geri’s voice is quite good in this song. 8/10

Let me love you. [4:00]

Beginning with an Indian woman singing a little melody whilst bending the notes she sings she is accompanied by a zither and sitar which are native to Indian music. The song then suddenly breaks into a psychedelic influence with beats as well as an electric guitar accompaniment. The Indian instruments are still evident in the song throughout. The Indian woman then re-enters before the song then goes into the middles eight. I like this song as it is rather different to what was expected in the album. 9/10

Someone’s watching over me [4:15]

This song begins with the sound of children in a school yard. The song is written with Geri in mind as she lost her father when she was young and the song represents her feelings “Someone’s watching over me” “You said I’ll always be your little girl”. This song is nice to listen to and is well worth a listen. It is really obvious that this song is for her father as more references are used as the song fades “I’ll always be your daddy’s girl” 7.5/10

You’re in a bubble [3:26]

This is the final song and what a song it is. The song is full of bitching and it is obvious that it is directed to those who h
ave done wrong to her, “Wipe that Prada smile off that Rada face”. I like the intro to this track as it begins with Geri laughing falsely and then saying in a posh philosophical way “It is important to laugh at ourselves, don’t take life to seriously”. When I first heard this song, I thought she was mad doing this song but it does grow and is a rather fuelled song with 100% effort put into the song. I like this song as it is rather bitchy to people and near the end, Geri goes “I’m only joking” and then laughs falsely once again making it rather difficult as to whether she is or not which I like. This song put the finishing touching to a surprising album. 8/10

Ø Verdict
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This album was a surprise for me as I expected it to be just like a spice girl album but it was so much more than that. Geri shows off her writing talent in this album as she co-wrote them and used her experiences, which therefore influenced her songs. Whilst reading the inside of the cover one time, I came across a part where Geri gave thanks, it read “ This is dedicated to all those who stood by me – and those who didn’t, both equally important to make this album happen.” I liked this thanks because in a funny way, Geri was thanking those who didn’t stand by her as well as those who did for making her a success which I found rather funny. This album is a good album but I am not sure if the album on a whole could stand up to the present releases. If you love Geri then this album is for you. 3.5/5 so for Dooyoo's sake I'll say 4!

:) Mike.

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