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Following her massive success in 2003 with her brilliant singles 'Free Me' & 'Maybe' & her 2004 smash 'I'll Be There' everyone's favorite former Spice Girl releases her highly anticipated album entitled 'Free Me'. Recorded throughout 2003 in the UK & Spain, 'Free Me' is a diverse, energetic album that oozes sophistication. A marked maturity of sound is featured on this record which Emma herself describes as having, "a real 60's influence". The album features collaborations from such esteemed hit makers as Cathy Dennis, Yak Bondie, Simon Ellis & Henry from Zero 7 & is Emma's most accomplished achievement to date. A great pop record from a great pop star. 12 tracks including all three of the smash hit singles mentioned above, along with a 16-page full color booklet with some great photos. 19 s/Universal. 2004. .co.uk ------ The title track from Free Me is so evocative of James Bond it should come with a free Martini. On her latest album Emma Bunton ( /exec/obidos/artist-search/Emma%20Bunton/%24%7B0%7D ) tries to reinvent herself as a modern Sandie Shaw ( /exec/obidos/artist-search/Sandie%20Shaw/%24%7B0%7D ). Following the title track is a Sergio Mendes ( /exec/obidos/artist-search/Sergio%20Mendes/%24%7B0%7D ) style piece of Brazilian pop. To continue the club-tropicana feel there's even a cover of Brazilian Marcos Valle ( /exec/obidos/artist-search/Marcos%20Valle/%24%7B0%7D )'s irresistible "Os Grilos" ("The Crickets"), here known as "Crickets Sing for AnaMaria". Will her fans get this? Does she still have fans? Who is Emma Bunton? Like all the other Spice Girls ( /exec/obidos/artist-search/Spice%20Girls/%24%7B0%7D ) she's searching for a musical identity after losing a collective wholeness. Note the change from Emma Bunton to Emma, another way to separate past from present. But having Brazilian musical plastic surgery doesn't cover up the fact that underneath the alterations is a woman undergoing the painful process of finding artistic individuality. She best achieves this on the ironically titled "No Sign of Life". This is by no means a bad album. "Breathing", after a few plays, sounds like a possible No. 1. "Who the Hell Are You?" could easily power a car advert. It doesn't say a lot but sounds fun, which is about right for this album. --Jake Barnes