Reality TV contestant and masturbatory fodder for every post pube boy in Australia (well documented in the single review ‘Can’t Touch It’) Ricki-Lee follows up her gold selling debut solo LP with this collection of hip-jerkin’-R’n’ B-soul-tinged-churned-out-pap-pop tracks. The LP’s lead off single “Cant Touch It” has been sitting at no. 2 on the ARIA charts for the past couple o’ weeks, and sitting in my vomit bucket for even longer.
Unfortunately, this CD peaked at 36 and has slipped to 45 this week on the LP charts, which is not so good for this would-be Christina Aguilera and shaker of money maker. What is worse however, is the fact that Australia’s Eagles Tribute Band (aka Powderfinger) are at no 10. Excuse me while I bash my fists against the wall. Argh…….that’s better.
Anyhoo, back to Lee and her C12 cups. Fans expecting a collection of syncopated electro beats ala “Can’t Touch It” are instead greeted with a mesh of Motown , R’N’B & soul.
Track 2 Brand New Day, is sooo close to The Jackson 5’s 1969 smash “I Want You Back” that I’m surprised Ricki didn’t suddenly go two nose sizes down and turn open her bed to a few boy scouts, a chimp and a yak. Damn catchy song though, if fluffy pop gives you a wild woody. Track 4 “Love Is All Around & Track 7 “Take Me To A Place”are infectious Countdown 70’s disco numbers that yee NOVA’s & Mix 101’s will lap up like starving, drooling hounds.
Likewise, track 8 “Alone No More” would be a good pic for a subsequent single with it’s chorus as catchy as a dose of Chlamydia in Paris Hilton’s lingerie basket.
There are a few dodgy moments though kidz. Track 5 “Real Good Time” with it’s faux reggae verse made me head for the skip button on the CD player with the urgency of a down-and-out teen opening a paint tin for a bout of chroming.
Ricki’s habit of starting most of the songs with that fucking annoying R’n’B vocal gymnastic thing ( the ‘ye-ye-yea-yea-yeah crap) that these ‘singers’ insist on doing as a age old homage to waxwork silicone nightmare with the Dow Corning boobs, Mariah Carey, was also a major barf factor for this reviewer (Marcia told all you Idle kids not to yodel, take her fucking advice, don’t listen to the blubber acrobatics of Mariah as gospel!)
It’s great that Lee pours her heart & soul out to the listeners during her rant in the back of the CD booklet. Lee Quote “After making this album I see life through different eyes. I’ve discovered who I am, really got to know myself blah blah mcblah, do you want fries with that, blah blah blah”
Hopefully the 15 or more real writers who are credited on this LP were glad to contribute to R.L’s coming of age. I know the film clip maker is certainly responsible for the cumming of boys of all ages (including my middle aged self).
All in all this is fairly solid pop LP & although derivative, there are many pop-tastic moments to keep the kidz bopping away & the gaggle of writers will earn a bit of coin as well. Everyone wins. Right? Well no, I still ‘can’t touch it’, those incredible top bollocks of hers. Ricki-Lee certainly has big things ahead of her.
