18 women in a single white jacket. This one is bursting at the seams with sounds of multiple sirens.
There’s young blood with Alicia Keys‘ “Fallin’”, Dido’s “Here With Me”, Anastacia’s “I’m Outta Love” and Nelly Furtado’s “I’m Like A Bird”. But some of the voice-worn like Whitney Housten, Toni Braxton and Sarah McLachlan squeeze in with their anthems of amour. Housten’s “It’s Not Right But Its OK” is almost a lyrical admission to her recent fallout with the narcotics brigade, and Braxton’s bass on “Spanish Guitar” is like McLachlan’s power-fuelled “I Will Remember You”.
There’s Atomic Kitten with “Eternal Flame” (one of the better things to have happened to the album), Natalie Imbruglia with “That Day”, and Mary J. Blige, who belts out a fantastic “Family Affair”. Britney Spears gets dirty slaving and salivating with “I’m A Slave 4 U”, unlike the “Independent Women” of Destiny’s Child. But at the end of the estrogen parade, Blu Cantrell bowled me over with her “Hit ‘Em Up Style (Oops!)”.
18 tracks. Not all divas. But a creditable compilation of some very pleasing females.
This article was first published on 15 Aug 2002.