LA State Of Mind - Melanie Brown

...you think its about????? Yes LA hahaha! It even starts with LA street noise… sort of! This has a retro feel again I cant put my finger on why! "Carefree summertime, sure is easy let your spirits fly, LA state of mind, come and join me these are carefree summer times" this has a very spicy feel to it with a guitar in the background, another fav.

'Say Say Say" is a lovely sublime acoustic ballad. "Say say say, in ...
...I trust in your word, you'll bring me back to earth." This is a simple and stunning mature pop ballad that I think would chart well! Liking this song a lot as well, another possible favourite.

Here's the Scary Spice we all know "laid out on the table, my head is bouncing of the walls". 'Bad bad Girl' is a dark electro 80's rocky pop tune. It's got the extra something that 'Sweet Pleasure' didn't have! Its been a B Side ... more

It's been four years since Melanie Brown (formerly Mel B aka Scary Spice) has released a single and five years since she last had a number one with the Spice Girls. 'Hot' wasn't a bad album but it never made the Top 40 (partly cos of the persona she created of herself) and she was dropped after third single from it.

Now signed with an independent label (Amber Café) she is releasing the long awaited second album. 'Today' the first single lifted off it has had great reviews, as has the album, but didn't set the charts alight. Now in an era where POP is dying quietly in a corner, Melanie Brown has come up with a secret stormer, here's why…

The album is opened with 'Today'; this tune is a brilliant opener! Its so sunny and summery, the verses are laden with a drum beat that's a bit African sounding, the chorus is a storming rousing acoustic piece "today's the day, that something great is gonna happen" is sooo cheery its almost too much lol!

Are we in Texas? 'Stay In Bed Days' has a severe country undertone it then becomes a slightly rocky piece you would expect from Melanie C. "Is this me? Is this what I'm really like? Is this me? Why can't I say something nice? Is this me or is this one of those stay in bed days?" There's also a very cute bit with kids singing… I know we should hate it but even though its about bad moods its really fun and upbeat.

There's a very sparse opening to 'Beautiful Girl' this is written about her daughter Phoenix (not her lesbian affair) its simple - Melanie and a piano. It's got a slightly retro feel about it but I cant say why. "A miracle sent to me you're my rainbow of light, I'm cherishing this time we have, you sparkle there in my eyes… angel, its your turn to fly". This is a very touching song filled with vocal emotion. I've not heard Melanie Brown sound better.

It all goes very Spice Girls camp quickly with the salsa and samba of 'Music Of The Night (Perdido)'. Its almost a nod to Emma Bunton's 'Crickets Sing For Ana Maria' and Geri's 'Passion' and 'Spice Up Your Life' all in one barmy ditty. Very summery, very camp, very specific taste.

'If I Had My Time Again' is very retrospective of her life. Would you change any thing in life? Do you have regrets… these questions are all covered "if you had your life again, would you change a thing?" its nice. It's not as raw as 'Beautiful Girl' but its another pretty piano ballad.

Pop, pop, pop with sweeping violins and strings from 'In Too Deep'. "In too deep, I'm yours to keep, just let me in, I'll stay a while, maybe you'll see me in time, stranger of mine." This is ridiculously upbeat… it's the vocals and the violins. Possibly one of the best songs on the album… I love the typical pop lyric 'stop' and then the music does. Fantastic tune,

All 80's beats and a sexual spoken bit "I'm physically, dramatically, undeniably attracted to you…do ya hear?" hmmm, not sure of this one. "Sweet Pleasure" feels like it has somewhere to go that it never quite gets too. 'Tempo of your walk' is cool, and I like the dirtiness and the vocoder makes a change… it lacks something!

Title track 'LA State Of Mind' is very kitsch… hmmm what do you think its about????? Yes LA hahaha! It even starts with LA street noise… sort of! This has a retro feel again I cant put my finger on why! "Carefree summertime, sure is easy let your spirits fly, LA state of mind, come and join me these are carefree summer times" this has a very spicy feel to it with a guitar in the background, another fav.

'Say Say Say" is a lovely sublime acoustic ballad. "Say say say, in your own sweet way, hey hey hey, it'll be okay, I trust in your word, you'll bring me back to earth." This is a simple and stunning mature pop ballad that I think would chart well! Liking this song a lot as well, another possible favourite.

Here's the Scary Spice we all know "laid out on the table, my head is bouncing of the walls". 'Bad bad Girl' is a dark electro 80's rocky pop tune. It's got the extra something that 'Sweet Pleasure' didn't have! Its been a B Side which is a shame cos its got punch you expect from Melanie.

Finally 'Hold On' which as soon as it starts you know will be a big ballad. It's the whole piano solo that gives it away. This is a stunning sparse ballad "its all part of the tapestry so don't give up your fight, hold on, hold on, to what you believe in." This would be brilliant live, a real anthem and shows not just Melanie C had the voice in the Spice Girls!

Overall this is the album Melanie Brown should have made instead of 'Hot' I think would have faired far better. It has the super ballads, mid tempo pop, salsa, camp pop, and is packed with summer. This could be one of the best solo spice efforts… and could be the undiscovered album of the pop summer.
 

...less