{$The Spice Girls}, as well as their managers and songwriters, are nothing if not clever, and {^Spiceworld}, the group's second album, illustrates exactly how sharp they are. Conventional wisdom dictates that {^Spiceworld} should be a weak fascimile of {^Spice}, which itself featured a handful of great singles surrounded by filler. Conventional wisdom, in this case, is wrong -- {^Spiceworld} is a better record than its predecessor, boasting a more consistent (and catchier) set of songs and an intoxicating sense of fun. Instead of merely re-writing {^Spice}, {^Spiceworld} consolidates and expands the group's style, adding Latin flourishes ({&"Spice Up Your Life"}), kitschy blues ({&"The Lady Is a Vamp"}) and stomping, neo-{@Motown} blue-eyed soul in the vein of {$Culture Club} ({&"Stop"}). The girls -- {$Mel C} in particular -- are actually turning into good vocalists, and each song plays to their strengths, giving each {$Spice} a chance to shine. Best of all, each song has a strong melody and a strong, solid beat, whether it's a ballad or a dance number. It's a pure, unadulterated guilty pleasure and some of the best manufactured mainstream dance-pop of the late '90s. [{^Spiceworld} is also available in a release with added bonus tracks.] ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide