Artist: Emma Bunton
Song: “Baby Please Don’t Stop”
Album: My Happy Place (Due in stores April 12th)
In early 2007 “All I Need to Know” was lifted from Emma Bunton’s critically-acclaimed third album Life in Mono (2006) as its second single. Unfortunately, through no fault of its own, “All I Need to Know” did not connect to a broader commercial audience. No other singles were serviced from Life in Mono and shortly thereafter circumstances—both personal and professional—would sidetrack Bunton’s solo career. Excluding a duet alongside her fellow Spice Girl Melanie C via a cover of the Chess musical classic “I Know Him So Well” in late 2012, the likelihood of Bunton’s formal return to recording seemed distant.
As the pop world continued to turn without her, Bunton managed to make it stop for just a moment with her announcement of a brand new single (and album) this past Monday. My Happy Place is set to arrive in shops via the BMG label on April 12th and earlier this morning, Bunton unveiled the lead single “Baby Please Don’t Stop” during her interview with BBC Radio 2’s Zoe Ball.
One of only two new tracks penned for My Happy Place—the long player is Bunton’s first collection of covers—“Baby Please Don’t Stop” is a lavish adult contemporary piece with pronounced traces of the Sixties pop-soul vibe prominent on Free Me (2004) and Life in Mono. As such, “Baby Please Don’t Stop” is all about its melody, which is expertly expressed by Bunton’s still-charming voice. The single unapologetically favors a traditional approach to songcraft and wisely avoids any gauche trends of the moment—a recurring motif (and strength) in Bunton’s past efforts. While one can’t be sure what its chart fortunes will be, “Baby Please Don’t Stop” graciously fills a void for the sort of sophisticated, filmic pop that one rarely encounters in today’s music marketplace.
Listen to the single below and watch the accompanying video here.
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