Lil' Mama - Lip Gloss

Whilst the press have made much of Lil' Mama being just 17, she already has a rich, graceful, authoritative voice, which grabs you and demands that you listen to it – as evinced by the a capella version of Lip Gloss that's presented here. It's just a shame she hasn't the music to back it up. The music here is far too repetitive and cold, working against, rather than with her voice. This track might sound great in clubs, where people are just there to dance, going for beats over emotion. Home listeners however tend to want a little more than just rhythm from their music. That said, Lil' Mama's voice and command of the material here bodes well for future releases. [Jonathan Robert Muirhead]