Us Against The World

Composed of winners of talent contests and the star of the Scandinavian film Adam and Eve, the Swedish quartet Play strut the kind of girl power not seen since the emergence of the Spice Girls. But it may not be evident from their music, which is generic, synth-laden Europop buffed with slick R&B beats and polished harmonies occasionally marked by flashes of charm ("Disco Hippie"). The nasally vocals and tinny background of a wan version of Olivia Newton-John's "Hopelessly Devoted to You" is more the norm. The group's spunky lyrics, however, push the tunes beyond purely inoffensive Top 40 techno lite. No wallflowers sitting at home pining after the boy next door, the girls champion independence, self-reliance, and pride on tracks like "Us Against the World," "Cinderella," and "I Don't Get Down Like That." Such positive messages give Play's music a much-needed injection of attitude and originality.