As the allegedly least talented of the Spice Girls -- sort of the Ringo of the group, or the Zac -- Geri Halliwell has a lot to prove on her solo debut. Can she stand on her own? Can she sing? Can she come up with a snappy new mantra? Schizophonic is more Girl Chutzpah than Girl Power. Geri seems intent on being all spices: sweet, salty, flirty, bossy. "Mi Chico Latino" is her impeccably timed contribution to the Latin-pop phenom, complete with awkwardly pronounced Spanglish; "Let Me Love You" has a Middle Eastern intro and electric sitar, while "Sometime" offers a canned-sounding gospel chorus. "Lift Me Up" is simple, effervescent pop. (Imagine several incarnations of Madonna compressed into one album: "La Isla Bonita," "Shanti/Ashtangi," "Like a Prayer," "Cherish.") Geri's voice is flat and unsyncopated -- she puts syllables in the darnedest places between the beat -- but it has a surprising, undeniable charm. She's like a really enthusiastic impersonator, so anxious to win you over that you give in. Schizophonic doesn't reveal any hidden talents. We always knew Geri would hang onto the pop landscape for dear life. Hey, let her.
