Melanie C: Version Of Me
Melanie C – Version Of Me
A triumphant return from Sporty Spice…
Though she’ll always be Sporty to most of us, these days Melanie C could just as accurately be called Dignified Spice. Explaining why, like Victoria Beckham, she has decided to opt out of a possible 20th anniversary reunion, La Chisholm said: “Didn’t we reach a peak with the Olympics? There’s a lot to be said for bowing out on a high note.” This seventh solo album, her first to feature original material since 2011’s The Sea, is similarly self-assured.
With help from producers who’ve worked with Ariana Grande and Tinie Tempah, Version of Me brings Chisholm subtly up-to-date with an elegant electropop sound that (mostly) sounds contemporary without trying too hard. Recent single ‘Anymore’ is a disco-tinged gem about finding salvation on the dance floor, the atmospheric title track supplies loads of string-swathed drama, and ‘Our History’ is one of several affecting ballads.
The album’s most welcome surprise, though, is a tropical pop jam called ‘Numb’ which, if there’s any justice, has the potential to give Mel a proper chart hit again. Obviously, she never really went away – a Spice Girl couldn’t if she tried – but it’s great to have Melanie C back, doing what she does best. OK, joint-best with backflips.
By Jake White
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