Respect Me

While the backside of Gyrlz Society's debut "Respect Me" broadcast confident assurances that the self-titled Gyrlz full-length would soon drop from MCA, this single seems to be the only existing document of the Damon Jones-produced quartet. A slice of percolating urban pop in the vein of Christina Aguilera's "Genie in a Bottle," yet nowhere near as addictive as that song, "Respect Me" is, nevertheless, a capable enough entry in a market that has always favored image over innovation. The cut's histrionic main vocal and self-empowering message is no different from the efforts of groups like Eden's Crush, who enjoyed a much longer 15 minutes than the girls in Gyrlz. Sure, they had the marketing thrust of a reality TV show to fuel their brief reign. But what of the curiously familiar quartet pictured on the "Bonus Fold Out Poster" included with "Respect Me"? How is it that their sassy spark ended up missing the pop-star tinderbox? Alas, with no new Gyrlz Society information in, er, syght, it looks like the answer to this question is lost somewhere in the annals of music history.