19 | Leona Lewis
Glassheart
Released: October 15, 2012 (Europe Only)
UK Albums Peak: #3 (debut)
Genre: Pop, Electronica
Tracklist
1. Trouble
2. Un Love Me
3. Lovebird
4. Come Alive
5. Fireflies
6. I To You
7. Shake You Up
8. Stop the Clocks
9. Favourite Scar
10. When It Hurts
11. Glassheart
12. Fingerprint
13. Trouble (feat. Childish Gambino)
UK Singles Chart Peak: 7
Bold indicates a single | |
2006 X Factor winner and powerhouse vocalist Leona Lewis is probably one of my favorite singers of this millenium. Her voice is so moving, and the emotion is completely tangible. Her vocal tone is pristine, and one of the most pleasant in today's music. Her US breakout came with the singles "Bleeding Love" and "Better In Time," and they were two amazing songs. So when her new album was released in the UK, I went out of my way to hear this.
Glassheart starts of with the lead single, "Trouble." The remix featuring rapper Childish Gambino closes the album, and is the better version in my opinion. The song is very reminiscent of the Lewis that was so popular in the US, with a melodic piano over deep drums, synth strings, electric guitar riffs and funky percussion. The production is very good, and, though not very challenging vocally, Lewis really does sound beautiful on here. The chorus is not very catchy persay, but Lewis makes this track special. The best moment, however, is when Childish Gambino delivers an amazingly real and poetic verse. He sounds very comfortable and it fits perfectly with the theme of the song. The song is just a masterpiece. The next track is a lightly produced vocal showcase. Leona sounds extremely confident with her lower register. The chorus is very nice, but I feel like her voice could've been louder over the instrumental. Lewis sounds very passionate on this track, which is exceptionally pleasing musically. Lewis' amazing vocal tone is demonstrated well on the next song, and and the lyrics are a great metaphor for love. The organ in the background throughout the song is really mellow and nice, and the production is restrained just perfectly to show off Lewis' amazing voice. Leona gives some haunting vocals on "Come Alive," on which the production is top-notch. The electronic sound fits Lewis very well, and doesn't detract from her voice at all. I really enjoy the chorus, and appreciate the dark quality of this song. The piano ballad "Fireflies" is next, and, although Lewis' vocals are fine, I feel like the first half of the song is too naked. When the beat finally drops, though, it gives one a feeling that equates to floating. The second half of this song is great. Leona's vocals are absolutely phenomenal. A funky beat drop signals the next song, but Lewis immediately comes off as disinterested. The chorus is just as boring, and it seems as though Leona isn't really trying with her vocals. The second half of the song picks up in vocal excitement, but with nothing breathtaking. The production of this song is nice, but it doesn't shake Lewis' lazy vocals. The groovy beat from Darkchild highlights the next track, and Leona's vocals are a bit better than the last song, but seem smothered by the production. The background vocals are fantastic though, and put this track in the middle of the road compared to the rest of the album. The instrumentals of "Stop the Clocks" are beautiful, and Leona's vocals perfectly complement them. Her emotion that was absent in the previous two songs has returned, and she seems completely and emotionally invested in the very pretty track, which is completed by the very sophisticated and meaningful lyrics. The perfect balance of vocals and instruments is achieved on the next song. Lewis seems beyond relaxed on this track, and it really is a perfect song for her. There is a scary moment, however, where is sounds like she is going to bust into "All eyes on me in the center of the ring, just like a circus," but we're thankfully saved. Some computerized vocal manipulation and deep synths take this song places, and it is definitely one of the defining moments of the album. The next track is has majestic production with sweeping noises and a synth brass, piano and electric guitar lead that is absolutely dazzling. Leona sounds amazing on here, and the song is catchy enough to become one of her signature radio hits. Though the chorus may be hard to understand at points, this maintains the high achieved by the previous song. The album's title track is next, and it is the indisputable best song on the album. The pseudo dubstep beat is absolute fire, and the lyrics are powerful and full of emotion. The chorus is unbelievably catchy, and the post hook breakdowns are just fantastic. Though not her most vocally impressive song, this may be the hit that propels her to perpetual worldwide stardom. The song is just her enough to maintain its integrity, but the venture from her previous work is a delightful transition. The soaring vocals during the bridge are exhilarating, and further establish this as the masterpiece of the album. The album's final original track is a piano ballad that features nice, sparse touches of production, but the vocals are overly echoey, and aren't up to snuff with the rest of the album. It is a suave song that definitely has the emotion behind the lyrics, but, as with the other ballads one here, just don't reach the point where they could be. Leona Lewis is an incredible singer, and her 3rd studio album showcases her ability very well. The mid- and up-tempos of the set are the best from Leona we've heard in a while (if not ever), and set this album far ahead of many of the other X Factor winners. Her skill of singing these faster songs may propel her to the level of some of the other powerhouse vocalists of this generation (Christina, Beyoncé), but she needs that one defining hit to allow her to do so.
Glassheart's use of pianos is masterful, and the instrumentals never disappoint. Leona is, at this point, her own worst enemy. She has what it takes to become a superstar. Hopefully this record, which was great enough to make my countdown, will propel her into the limelight.
Favorite Tracks: "Trouble," "Come Alive," "Favourite Scar," "When It Hurts" and "Glassheart"