As even the other four now admit, Melanie Chisolm was always the best singer in the Spice Girls. And, given that it appears to have been Sporty who put a stop to the recent rumours of a reunion, it's clear that she's fully committed to building a solo career for herself. Reason, her second album, suggests that she shouldn't have too many problems in that direction - but it also suggests that we shouldn't hold our breath waiting for her experimental masterpiece. As with her debut Northern Star, it's a complete mish-mash of styles from straightforward diva pop to piano-driven ballads, taking in beat-laden disco tunes and acoustic numbers along the way. It's all very polished - but there's a distinctly workmanlike air about the album as a whole, suggesting that true inspiration was in precious short supply. The fact is, Sporty just isn't very good at being sexy - and however hard she tries, Mel C is never going to be cool. Maybe that reunion wasn't such a bad idea after all.

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