If anyone would be successful doing a solo album, I instantly thought of Emma. She was one of the better singers in the Spice Girls and A Girl Like Me is twelve songs of just her singing so yay! She co-wrote most of the songs and the consistent and cohesive sound boosts this album to the same level as Spiceworld.

"What Took You So Long", her #1 song, is what I feel like telling her in regards to this album. "Take My Breath Away" owes a bit to Shawn Colvin's "Sunny Came Home"

"A World Without You" is a lovely string-tinged ballad whose inclusion in the Spice Girls' Forever album might have saved it. As it is, Emma's got it on her album and if this hasn't been released as a single, it should! I can easily picture Olivia Newton-John doing this back in the late 70's.

"High On Love" is another ballad in the same vein, with acoustic guitar added, but the other song is better. Speaking of acoustic guitar, it helps make Emma's album unique from the solo releases of her bandmates (or is it soon-to-be ex-bandmates?)

"Sunshine On A Rainy Day" has a prominent backing chorus much like Natalie Imbruglia's "Wishing I Was There". And "Better Be Careful" has a rock acoustic guitar and a bouncy pop sound reminiscent of "Philadelphia Freedom" or Culture Club's "In The Church Of The Poison Mind".

The title track belongs at home in the realm of old school disco, and Atomic Kitten or Geri Halliwell would not feel out of place covering it.

Her cover of the Edie Brickell song "What I Am", which has a bouncier beat than the original, is my favorite here. Besides, Emma is the better singer of the two. Interesting how they have the same initials--E.B.

I still can't understand why this album didn't do so well in the U.K. I hope Virgin Records doesn't drop her like it did Melanie B. A pop album of this calibre can only come from... well, a girl like her.


A Giant Step for Baby   April 21, 2001
8 out of 8 found this review helpful

Although the Spice Girls' new album "Forever" hasn't been very well recieved (I don't see it as a failure, though), there's no stopping or denying the fact that the girls' are talented whether they're together or as soloists. After solo albums from Geri Halliwell (The pleasant offering "Schizophonic"), Melanie C (The above average and credible "Northern Star") and Melanie B (Unfortunately her "Hot" solo wasn't particularly anything good), we are now offered baby spice's solo outing "A Girl Like Me". Emma Bunton should be very pleased with her work. Co-writing all of the tracks, she has created an easy listening, pleasant pop album that is one of the better Spice offerings.

The CD opens with: 1) WHAT TOOK YOU SO LONG - I'm sure most of us have heard this tune. A guitar riddled pop offering that will have you singing along in no time.

From there it moves to the similar sounding 2) TAKE MY BREATH AWAY - More upbeat and poppy than WTYSL, but still guitar hooked track that is uplifting and single potential. The chorus alone will ahve you addicted to this tune.

Emma has the kind of voice that would suit any ballad, so no surprises when she belts out the sweet ballad, track 3) A WORLD WITHOUT YOU - Although the title seems a bit Mariah-esque, don't be fooled. It's actually a sweet, midtempo ballad that would be much like somethng you'd hear from the sweet sounding pop queens Britney Spears or Mandy Moore. The chorus is cute and it is yeat another addictive single potential tune.

4) HIGH ON LOVE - Once again the guitar riffs used in this bare some resemblance to tracks 1 and 2, but this is not as good. The only thing letting this tune down is the chorus. But still a nice sounding tune.

The title track 5) A GIRL LIKE ME - Has an early Madonna/Janet Jackson feel to it. Cheeky and cute lyrics make this an instant liking to Emma's younger audience. Also for all the people that liked or still like Spice tracks like "Wannabe".

At this point listeners maybe wondering when there will be a change of pace and I think from track 6 onwards theres a difference. 6) SPELL IT O.U.T. - This instantly likeable tune crosses many boarders with pop, dance, balladry and R&B all mixing. The chorus very much dominates it 3minute+ run but it's one you'll be singing along to in no time.

7) SUNSHINE ON A RAINY DAY - Emma was worried that since she had already covered Eddie Brickell's hit "What I Am", that another cover would be tiresome. Her take on this joyful tune is well done and will be familiar to all, especially Australians since our own Christine Anu covered it.

8) BEEN THERE DONE THAT - One of the best tunes on this album is this slinky R&B tune. Something like this would have sat perfectly on "Forever". But Emma carries on her own, with anohter liekable and dancey tune.

The Spice Girls explored motown with their tune "Stop" (From "Spiceworld") and it seems Emmma has taken a liking to it. 9) BETTER BE CAREFUL - Anyone who liked "Stop", or the S Club 7 tunes "Reach" and "You're My Number One" should like this.

10) WE'RE NOT GONNA SLEEP TONIGHT - Latin music is big right now and plenty of non pure latin artists are successing at it also. Much like "Spice Up Your Life"(Spice Girls) or moreso Geri Halliwell's "Mi Chico Latino" this is another highlight with cute lyrics, a catchy chorus and the sexy flamenco guitars burning up the background.

11) SHE WAS A FRIEND OF MINE - Another R&B track that mixes some spicy spanish guitar into it also.

To finsih off "A Girl Like Me" Emma chose 12) WHAT I AM - Her collaboration with Tin Tin Out. A tune we should all be familiar with.

Overall this is a great album. More Geri and early Spice than it is Mel C and Mel B, although all areas of music the girls have separately chosen have been meddled together for this successful solo offering. Now we just have to wait for Victoria, and the upcoming second solo effort from Geri Halliwell "Scream If You Wanna Go Faster" (Featuring "It's Raining Men").


AWESOME ALBUM BY BABY SPICE EMMA BUNTON   April 19, 2001
5 out of 5 found this review helpful

Emma has really proved herself in this album, A Girl Like Me. All the songs are fun, catchy, and have some sort of meaning to them (unlike some songs out there). Her first single from this album, "What Took You So Long" is a cool hit which showed you what to expect. Here's a synopsis of this album:

1) WHAT TOOK YOU SO LONG- Very guittary, midtempo song. This was released as the first single and it hit #1 in the UK. It is cool because it veers away from the original pop roots and the current R&B sound of the Spice Girls. Emma proves in this song alone that she can do her own thing.

2) TAKE MY BREATH AWAY- Mandy Moore esque sounding song which shows great vocals by Emma. This blends pop with an almost slow song. It sounds really good and it sounds like it would be featured on a TV show such as "Dawson's Creek."

3) A WORLD WITHOUT YOU- Another song in which sounds as if it would have been made by Mandy Moore. This is a sweet sounding, slow song about being away from someone you love for such a long time. Really good song- 2 thumbs up, Emma!

4) HIGH ON LOVE- Midtempo country sounding song. This song is okay because it doesn't really have a good backbeat at all, but Emma's vocals redeemed it in a way. Other than that, it's just okay.

5) A GIRL LIKE ME- Uptempo pop song with cool vocals by Emma. This song isn't particularly good, but it's okay. It's very Spice Girls esque, but with a twist. It is danceable to a limit, but this is definitely more for the radio.

6) SPELL IT O.U.T.- Slower R&B song with a cool song, but the played out lyrics and the way in which it is sung make it very trite to the R&B culture. If you're not into R&B, then this song might be very appealing to you, because it's not bad.

7) SUNSHINE ON A RAINY DAY- This country inspired song is really cool with Emma's vocals. It's completely obsolete to the pop world because if veers away from pop completely. It has good beat and great lyrics to back it up.

8) BEEN THERE, DONE THAT- One of my favorites from this album which has a fast pop/R&B sound to it. It sounds like a crossover of Britney Spears, Pink, and Dream. It's a really cool song with an awesome beat to it.

9) BETTER BE CAREFUL- Fast guitar song with a very motown feel to it. I'm not a big fan of motown, but if you are, you'll love this song. To give you a better idea of this song, it sounds very much like a song off an Old Navy commercial.

10) WE'RE NOT GONNA SLEEP TONIGHT- Another one of my favorites. This has a latin and pop-dance beat to it. It always reminds me of the Backstreet Boys song "The Call." It's a really cool dance song.

11) SHE WAS A FRIEND OF MINE- Another fast R&B song about a friend cheating on you with your boyfriend. It's pretty good, although I've only listened to it a couple of times.

12) WHAT I AM- Emma's 1999 collaboration with Tin Tin Out. This song is really cool. It's a cover of Edie Brickel's old song What I Am. Emma's version has more guitar and more of a garage beat to it.


Emma's "Girl" is Awesome!!   June 23, 2001
7 out of 8 found this review helpful

First was Geri Halliwell's "Schizophonic"--it was ok. Then it was Melanie C's "Northern Star"--IT was ok. Then came Melanie B's "Hot"--mind blowing-the best of the bunch. Now, in between "Hot" and the others is Emma Bunton (Baby Spice)and HER solo effort, "A Girl Like Me". This album is just wonderful, and every song got me singing along minutes later. Favorites include "Spell it O.U.T.", "Been There, Done That", and her dead-on cover if Edie Brickell's "What I Am". If you are an fan of any of the Spice Girl's efforts (solo OR alone), you HAVE TO GET this album. You won't be dissappointed!!!!


THIS ALBUM IS GREAT!   July 25, 2001
Beketaten (Pangea)
4 out of 4 found this review helpful

Emma sounds great solo and this album has become one of my all time favorites. It's a shame that it wasn't released over here. She has great songwriting capabilities and I love the guitar pop style she seems to have taken a particular fancy to, though she covers many styles on this album.

1/ What Took You So Long: I absolutely love this song and I think it was a great first single.

2/ Take My Breath Away: This is one of my favorite songs on the album.

3/ A World Without You: This is a very nice and sweet ballad that Emma dedicates to all her close family and friends in the liner-notes.

4/ High On Love: A great and touching song which Emma dedicates especially to her Mum.

5/ A Girl Like Me: A great, fun dance song.

6/ Spell It O.U.T: A nice sort of calmer interlude for the album, because it gives you time to rest and think, as it doesn't have any real percussion.

7/ Sunshine On A Rainy Day: What can I say. This song is wonderful!

8/ Been There, Done That: A good song when you just wanna kick back, relax and have fun.

9/ Better Be Careful: I LOVE THIS SONG! It reminds me a lot of all that great sixties English guitar pop, and I personally think it's there to pay homage to that era.

10/ We're Not Gonna Sleep Tonight: This is a fun, cute kind of song for when you're not in a really serious mood.

11/ She Was A Friend Of Mine: Nice, snappy sort of song.

12/ What I Am: A good way to end the album, this is one of the two songs on the album (the other is Sunshine On A Rainy Day) that Emma did with Tin Tin Out. Here they cover the slightly dark New Bohemians' classic, but Emma's sweet voice makes it a pleasant listen, as it would for any song. And I'll have to say this a great version of the song on this album and I really love it!

Well that's my review in a nutshell of "A Girl Like Me", and I hope you decide to buy it. It will really make your day, and I'm sure you'll think it's a great album!

Hej do! (Swedish for Bye-bye.)