Spirit

 

 

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Contrary to the title of this review, I now have noth the normal North American version and Deluxe version of Leona Lewis' 'Spirit'. Having said that, I am a big fan of her ever since I saw her performance of "I Have Nothing" on the X Factor two years ago on Youtube. She is one of the best vocalist at this moment in time without a doubt. Now on to the album. The Deluxe version has all the songs from the original release plus 4 bonus songs. Two of which I think is enough of a reason to purchase this: "Forgiveness" and "Run". By now, A lot of people in Canada and the U.S have heard of "Run" and I don't think I need to say anything about Leona's version. It is jaw-dropping stunning. On the other hand, if you do not live in the UK, "Forgiveness" is probably a brand new song to you. It is actually co-written by Leona and current judge of American Idol Kara DioGuardi and it served as the B-side of "Bleeding Love" in the UK. It's a shame that it didn't amke it onto the album itself. The song has a very free spirit feel to it. Another thing that made me purchase this album is the DVD that comes with it. It includes 7 videos, all of Leona's music videos except "A Moment Like This" and "I Will Be". Although there is a Live version of "I Will Be" from the 4-set songs she performed on "Stirpped". Honestly, I have never seen her videos, aside from Bleeding Love (US) on a television. I watched all the other music videos are watch on the internet. It was very weird and amazing at the same time to watch all of them on a wide screen tv with stereo quality sound system. All in all, for under $20 you get 17 songs and 7 music videos. To me, this is a great buy! You won't regret this purchase at all.

This is a strong debut album from X-Factor winner Leona Lewis, the only potential problems being a surfeit of ballads, and a large dose of overexposure. The British born singer/songwriter is of Guyanese/Welsh parentage, and was no stranger to performing before catching the eye of Simon Cowell, who moved heaven, earth and Clive Davis to ensure that this album had all the backing it needed.

Even before the album was released, she already had a hit single with her version of the Kelly Clarkson song "A Moment Like This", which can be found as a bonus on the UK version of the album. Please note that the track listing for the UK Version is different to the US and Canadian releases. The songs "Forgive Me" (produced by Akon) and "Misses Glass" on this version take the place of "Homeless" (a slow R&B ballad) and "The Best You Never Had" (a slightly faster ballad).

Songs of interest are "Bleeding Love", the first single from the album; "Better in Time", the second single (pop/R&B) which reminds me of Alicia Keys "No One"; "I Will Be", a cover of the Avril Lavigne song; "Yesterday", a pop/R&B track where she sounds like Mariah Carey; "Take A Bow", a radio-friendly R&B track; and "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face", a cover of the Roberta Flack hit written by Ewan MacColl. Lewis also co-wrote the songs "Whatever It Takes", a mid-tempo R&B track, and "Here I Am", a pop ballad.

Special mention should be made of the powerful and emotional ballad "Footprints in the Sand" inspired by the famous poem by Mary Stevenson, which ends:

The Lord replied
"The times when you have seen only one set of footprints in the sand,
Is when I carried you."

Undoubtedly talented, strikingly photogenic, and with a lovely voice, it seems a bit early for all the comparisons to Mariah Carey and early Whitney Houston, but I do believe that we'll be hearing a lot more from Leona Lewis.

Amanda Richards

The 22-year-old singer from Hackney has landed the Billboard Hot 100 chart Number One with her ballad "Bleeding Love".
The Americans have gone mad for this Mariah Carey-inspired ballad fest. All she needs to do is smile sweetly while she rakes in the dollars.
The last British female solo artist to do the same was Kim Wilde in 1987, with her cover of the Supremes' "You Keep Me Hangin' On".
It's also the first time in 27 years that a British female artist has debuted at Number One in the US Top 100 Single Chart.
That feat was last achieved in 1981 by Sheena Easton with "Morning Train "(Nine To Five).
The last British woman to top the US album chart was Sade with "Promise" in 1986.
Leona Lewis is the quiet girl with a big voice who conquered the 2006 British "X Factor" ( equivalent of American Idol), singing her way to glory with a spectacular set of lungs and endearing herself to the voting public with her sweet personality.
She stormed to number one British chart last Christmas with the winning X Factor single handed to her by the show's producers.
Lewis sings her heart out through stories of loves lost and conquered, with allusions to already established octave-vaulting female divas - Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Celine Dion, Kelly Clarkson and Christina Aguilera - audible in every warble.
She has the technical chops to pull off the imitation.
Tills ringing in their ears, Simon Cowell and Clive Davis have duly stuffed her debut album with songs which sound like offcuts from those other divas' repertoires - rent-a-gospel-choir here, the pretence of some tough R&B attitude there; "inspirational" lyrics and key changes preferred.
The result is an album of almost clockwork perfection - containing enough hits to keep her on the radio till next Christmas ("Better in Time" and "Whatever it Takes" are both as classy as the majestic "Bleeding Love"). But in the end they were able to craft only a bland, glossy pop album, strong on mid-tempo balladry and spiralling vocal gyrations, but short on hooks, innovation and personality.
"Bleeding Love" is the highlight of the album, a superb single that could almost be a sequel to Houston's 1987 classic "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)".
.."Spirit pays quivering lip service to ideas of beauty and talent and 'specialness', but is ultimately too manufactured even to be great manufactured pop. If Lewis is looking for the greatest love of all - public adoration - she will have to do better than this".Times.
Hard to love, hard to hate - but the whole world will buy it.
It's a testament, this, to Simon Cowell's business nous that he resisted a rushed covers album and instead enlisted powerful US music mogul Clive Davis to attract a bevy of America's most successful songwriters to pen a tune for the attractive British young lady.
Leona's success is assured and her talent plain to see, but her musical credibility is still hanging in the balance. Hopefully her second and third albums, which will surely follow, will not be an imitation of former success stories but an example of 21st century pop finery.

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4.0 out of 5 stars She will defently make more amazing music.
Although I have to say way to many ballads and some of the songs sound the same or too similar I still say a strong first album. Read more

Published on Jun 9 2009 by Aaron B.

5.0 out of 5 stars wow
this is my wife cd.but after listing to it a few times it grow's on you.i enjoy listening to this cd and will buy it myself soon.great voice.

Published on Jan 9 2009 by James H. Sheppard

5.0 out of 5 stars Breathtaking, Beautiful, Filled with Spirit!
What a treat! Leona's voice is amazing. She has such strong vocal control and ease, I could listen to her all day long. Read more

Published on Dec 16 2008 by dontsayaward

1.0 out of 5 stars Leona Lewis Spirit
I haven't purchased or owned this album. It sounds as if there's the same old R&B beat. All I can hear his her talented high pitched singing voice and there's no deep emotion in... Read more

Published on Aug 25 2008 by K. Warren

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