Very Necessary

“Shoop”, “Whatta Man” and “None Of Your Business” give Very Necessary three quite different ways of taking charge. Salt-N-Pepa’s fourth album balances flirtation, vocal warmth and the insistence that other people’s judgements do not get the final word.

The singles are strong enough to overshadow the record around them. Heard together, they also show its range: playful exchanges can sit beside a firmer statement without losing the rhythm. The voices carry that confidence as much through their timing as through what they say.