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Music Review:
Spirit, Leona Lewis
SPIRIT
1. Bleeding Love
2. Whatever It Takes
3. Homeless
4. Better in Time
5. Yesterday
6. Take a Bow
7. I Will Be
8. Angel
9. Here I Am
10. I'm You
11. Best You Never Had
12. First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
13. Footprints in the Sand
14. A Moment Like This (Bonus)
YOU WANTED TO KNOW
I’ll be the first to admit that, despite my constant grumbling, I do like pop music. Heck, I even enjoyed Britney Spears’ latest album, and that was a pop-filled trip down memory lane to the Britney that once was. That’s why I didn’t have any reservations about listening to “X Factor” winner Leona Lewis’ debut album, Spirit. If there’s anything that spells p-o-p, it’s Simon Cowell and his tight black tees.
As the latest winner of “X Factor,” honey-voiced Lewis got to sing her heart out every week, win the adoration of the general British viewing audience, land a one million recording deal (that’s in pounds), and schmooze with legendary music producer mogul Clive Davis. Unlike its American counterpart, which ran its course right about the time that Carrie Underwood won, “X Factor” still has momentum, resulting in a record-breaking debut on the British and Irish charts, as well as a handsome recording deal from Clive Davis’ label, J Records. She will also be working with co-producer Cowell.
Named one of Entertainment Weekly’s eight to watch in ’08, Lewis, previously a receptionist in east London, released the show’s first bi-product single, “A Moment Like This.” This track might resonate for “American Idol” fans, who might remember this saccharine ditty being Kelly Clarkson’s first single, but Lewis’ retread is the one that went on to become the most downloaded song in a single day, breaking previous records. Her first real single from Spirit, “Bleeding Love,” co-written by OneRepublic’s Ryan Tedder and Jesse McCarthy (yes, that Jesse McCarthy) has already made its rounds in the UK and Ireland, and is slowly climbing up the North American charts to coincide with the album’s release in April.
This twenty-two year-old songstress might arguably be credited for finally bringing Cowell to his knees when he proclaimed to England that she was “the best contestant [he has] ever had across any of these shows” (but really, I’m hard-pressed to name a season when he hasn’t said that), and announced that her performance of “All By Myself” at the show’s penultimate episode to be the one to win her the show. In fact, it was rare that Cowell didn’t lavish praise on Lewis in every show, or leer at her in the same manner that Donald Trump might leer at a piece of land in Florida. With vocals that were often compared to Mariah Carey and Whiney Houston, it’s a given that Lewis can sing with the best of them.
“Bleeding Love” is a shiny pop song full of medicinal imagery like “my heart's crippled by the vein that I keep on closing. You cut me open and I keep bleeding love.” At least you can say that the lyrics do keep in theme with the song’s title. “Bleeding Love” is a catchy debut track that simultaneously showcases Lewis’ smooth, sterilized vocals while breaking out of her “X Factor” aged persona. Unfortunately, I can’t say the same about the rest of the album.
The problem with Spirit isn’t the overproduction, as one might expect from the likes of Davis and Cowell, but rather the dated feel to every other song, which, coincidentally also happens to be a damn ballad. Lewis is twenty-two, but at times she seems to be channeling Celine Dion at thirty-five. Most of the album lags, especially with the likes of “I Will Be,” a generic, “American Idol”-inspired piano ballad disguised as a declaration to be a better person, and “Here I Am,” an early Mariah Carey B-side showy ballad that starts with three minutes of boring only to strike every power note possible for its last two. “Homeless” gets the vote for filler song with nary a melodic verse until its chorus, where, lest we think this is a song about the plight of the forgotten, Lewis belts out, “But you don't love me anymore, you don't want me anymore, there's a sign on your door, no vacancy, just emptiness. Without your love, I'm homeless.” Coincidentally, “no vacancy, just emptiness” should have been the title of this album.
“Whatever It Takes” breaks the pace of the album with a backing beat and chorus that has a throwback, retro feel of a typical 90s girl group track. Unfortunately, it’s not an updated sound like you might find with other artists who borrow heavily from this era, and it just ends up appearing like you’re stuck in a time warp with nothing but this to listen to. “Take A Bow” features heavy R&B beats, something that Lewis handles well, and it’s one of the more infinitely interesting songs here. In the very least, it nicely breaks up the monotony of the power ballads that are drizzled throughout. Lewis could use less vocal flips made popular by Mariah Carey and employed by every other “American Idol” contestant, but at least she works her voice well.
“Better in Time,” the second single to be released from Spirit, is the type of song that grows on you, after you get over the piano and violin chords that permeate throughout. Luckily, a heavy drum beat kicks in for the chorus and, with lyrics like, “thought I couldn’t live without you, it’s gonna hurt when it heals, too. It’ll all get better in time” and “even though I really love you, I'm gonna smile cause I deserve to,” it’s a good, uplifting song for an especially rough break-up.
“I’m You,” on the other hand, doesn’t quite give the kick it intends to. Channeling the 90s R&B vibe yet once again (especially with the likes of SWV or Color Me Badd, depending on the time of day), this track barely makes sense. “So you think I'm strong but you're feelin that you're weak, baby I'm you. But we're one in the same so you're just as strong as me, baby I'm you.” What does that even mean? Is she suffering from some sort of disassociate disorder? Sadly, we will never know. Another song that gets no love from me is “Angel,” which features a Romeo and Juliet reference that we could all do without. When you’re more preoccupied with the stylistic choices of a track (I just cannot get over the way that Lewis sings “angel” like it’s “an gel”) and giggling over references of good sex like “when we make love, it’s overwhelming, I just touch the Heavens,” it doesn’t bode well for the likeability of a song.
“Footprints in the Sand,” the proposed third single to be released from the album, is another piano piece based on the infamous prose of the same name. This power ballad suits Lewis’ voice well, with just the right amount of power notes to keep her from going restless. Her voice on this song is nuanced, strong, and confident. She’s also channeling early Whitney Houston, but I’ll give her a break this time. “A Moment Like This” is similarly satisfactory, but the differences with Kelly Clarkson’s version are evident. While Clarkson doesn’t have the same clarity in her voice, Lewis just sings this track like Cowell is holding a gun to her head. It lacks the same passion and meaning that it once held for Clarkson, and ends up sounding generic, unremarkable, and lethargic.
It’s Lewis’ time to shine, but with this album, it’s more like she’s barely opaque. With 80s and 90s sounds infused with poppy power ballads, it seems like Spirit is all over the place. Lewis possesses the voice of an angel – specifically, Cowell’s money-generating angel – but she doesn’t have the charisma or passion to be a diva yet. What she does come across as, however, is a very well oiled machine that’s been groomed for success ever since the “X Factor” wrapped up for the season. She’s got talent, that’s for sure, but no vehicle in which to showcase it, and no voice of her own (especially if they just keep throwing these sappy, devoid of personality tracks her way). If you’re looking for some pre-trainwreck Mariah or Whitney to reminisce with, Spirit is a good choice. But if you’re looking for a “new” artist, you’ll have to look elsewhere. ¤ C.Ho.
SPIRIT:
(out of 5)