LEONA LEWIS-- "ECHO" (Rating 5/5)

(One of this week's "Featured Artists")

I am absolutely in love with this album! LEONA LEWIS earned great feedback with her debut album "Spirit" which contained the singles "Bleeding Love" and "Better In Time". On her sophomore album "ECHO", LEWIS returns with "racier" material and dance-floor rhythms...there still is a considerable amount of ballads on the album...but they aren't as dusty and stale as some of the music produced for her first album.

First off, can I just say that Ryan Tedder needs to stop using the same drum machine rhythm in every song he produces? I mean, damn...how unoriginal can you be? For those who know what I'm talking about, you will hear the same similar beat that you hear in Beyonce's "Halo" and Kelly Clarkson's "Already Gone" in songs like "Happy" and "You Don't Care" ...it's really played-out and annoying. Other than that, LEWIS' voice has been pushed slightly to different barriers that weren't heard on the last album. Her vocals on the song "Can't Breathe" are so captivating...they have the power to make your heart skip a beat. One of the standout tracks for me was the Max Martin-produced "Outta My Head". Again, he produces better music for anyone else other than Britney! The song kind of reminds me of something Cascada would've performed prior to their latest release "Evacuate the Dancefloor".

Unfortunately, no one seems to be too interested in LEONA LEWIS at the moment. The lead single "Happy" has not done stellar here in the States and it leaves me wondering if anything can be done to bring her new album out into the spotlight. She really does deserve to be acknowledged for this album. LEWIS became one of this week's "featured artists" because there is an evident new sound in her material. "ECHO" really does bring out the raw talent this young lady possesses...without having her sing music that caters to an audience of elderly people.

Songs that I Absolutely Enjoyed from the Album:
• Happy
• I Got You
• Love Letter
• You Don't Care
• Outta My Head
• Brave
• My Hands
• Alive
• Don't Let Me Down
• Broken
• Lost Then Found featuring OneRepublic
• Stone Hearts and Hand Grenades (Hidden Track)

From LEONA LEWIS' new album "ECHO", here's "Fly Here Now..."



From the same album, here's "Can't Breathe..."




LEONA LEWIS
"Happy"
From the 2009 album "ECHO"
Directed by Jake Nava
(3.58)




BONUS TRACKS
(iTunes Store)
• Brave (Live at the Hackney Empire)
• The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face (Live at the Hackney Empire)
• Echo (A Reflection of Sound) (Video Feature)

COPYRIGHT PROTECTED.
Written by Felix-Lee "Campbells" Andrades, III