Some people are just never satisfied. Sometimes that results in unrestrained exploration and pushing “the limits until they break.” Other times, it just comes off like those bratty kids in “Willie Wonka and The Chocolate Factory.” Then there’s the Spice Girls. A little from Column A, a little from Column B.For those living in the marshy undergrowth of some creek, the Spice Girls damn near single-handedly re-launched pop music on the airwaves with their debut single, “Wannabe.” With two albums, “Spice” and “SpiceWorld,” a movie, “Spice World” and over 35 million albums sold worldwide, it would seem that the British quartet would be happy.But NOOOOOOO! For that difficult third album “Forever,” the first without Geri Halliwell, a.k.a. Ginger Spice, “things done changed.” So gone are the Technicolor clothes and wacky nicknames. They are now Emma, formerly “Baby Spice;” Melanie C, no longer known as “Sporty Spice;” Melanie B., a.k.a. “Scary Spice;” and Victoria, the once and future “Posh Spice.” You see, now they’re mature.Generally speaking, whenever a singer wants to signal maturity it’s in one of two ways. Either slap on a bunch of orchestral passages or try to rack up a bunch of co-writer credits. Strings equal serious artist, co-writer means taking charge of your music. The Spice Girls have opted for the latter, making sure that at least three ‘Girls have co-writer credits on the album’s 11 tracks.Those aren’t the only changes. The Spice Girls have also ditched their pop sound for a more R&B vibe, drafting Rodney Jerkins, a.k.a. “Darkchild,” and his crew to produce and co-write eight songs, while Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis contribute two. That’s where the trouble begins.The Spice Girls sold a LOT of records, and 25 million singles worldwide, with their candy-coated pop songs. So to abandon that formula is like Limp Bizkit announcing that its next album would explore a more country & western sound. You can always make some changes, but in the fickle world of pop, you dance with the one that brung ya.With all the changes in sound and direction, is “Forever” any good?Eh, it depends what you liked about the Spice Girls. Make no mistake, “Spice” and “SpiceWorld” weren’t great records. But there was a certain infectious vibe about them. Even the most punk rock person will know instantly what you’re talking about if you start singing, “I’m gonna tell ya what I want/ What I really, really want!” Sure, lyrically and vocally the previous two records were so lightweight that you have to keep rocks on them to prevent them from flying away, but it was harmless fun.Now that the Spice Girls are R & B infused, any former fan will be put off, and it’s difficult to see why new fans would jump on the bandwagon. The problems are obvious and immediate from the first single and first track on the album, “Holler.” Those sweet girls of just two years ago are now singing “I wanna make you holler and make you scream my name.” And “Start from the bottom and work your way up slowly.” Now considering that most of the Spice Girls fans were of the young variety, HELLO, INAPPROPRIATE!Then there’s just the plain stupid, such as “Right Back At Ya,” a Spice Girl 2000 manifesto that contains some off the most awkward “rapping” courtesy of Melanie B., since Puff Daddy graced the mic. Hmmm, great.You’re back. Did it need a whole song? And musically, Jerkins, who also produced Brandy and Monica’s “The Boy Is Mine,” is a poor man’s Timbaland. Stuttering beats? Check. Annoying vocal cameos a la Puff Daddy that sound as if they were recorded through a walkie talkie? Double check. And what makes it more odd is that for all the “futuristic” sounds, “Forever” sound likes an ’80s R&B record. You half wait for the “Spyderman and Dr. Freeze in full effect” voice-over. (That’s from Bell Biv DeVoe’s “Poison.”)The most offensive thing about the record is that it could be anyone singing the songs. True, the Spice Girls sound more confident vocally but it’s so bland. Nearly every hint of personality has been steamrolled out. So, at least on that account it could fit in perfectly with most of the swill on R&B radio. There are a couple of all right tunes.”Tell Me Why,” with its jerky guitar driven beat, and “Wasting My Time” are fairly entertaining imitations of an upbeat Mariah Carey song. But over all, eh.You want pop music, it’s not here. You want some good R & B? Keep looking. It shouldn’t be a surprise really. Every album in recent history with the title “Forever” has been horrible. “Wu-Tang Forever” was overly long and generally pretty crappy, Puff Daddy’s “Forever” was underwhelming and now add the Spice Girls. People may want to still “spice up” their lives, but this record is as spicy as a mayonnaise sandwich.