Leona Lewis - "Echo" Era (17th NOV 09)

[tsw2008]

oh and that's the international version. The US version comes with two different tracks.

[insanoshano08]

I mean this is my favorite new album since AIEW. Good Job Leona!

[S_Bunny]

Eurgh!! Just my luck I find out its leaked at 7:56 in the morning when I'm off to College and wont be home until 4!
Not fair :(

[Deleted]

i am listening the first song,love it better than the lead single.i am pretty sure they really make the worst choice of making happy the lead single.

ok more songs to hear.

broken sounds like jojo's note to god(a little).

the album sound nice but no favourites for me now.

[muzikfeak]

I have to hear this....I heard a clip of Outta My Head and I fell in love with it!

[muzikfeak]

Can't breathe is sooo good! Yes Leona!

This album is such a guilty pleasure....reminds me of scenes from White Chicks when dude is singin A Thousand Miles lol. So many catchy songs :)

[muziclvr1]

Broken, Outta My Head, and I Got You are the smash hits on this album.

[muzikfeak]

My top 3: Broken, Can't Breathe (r&b remix would be BOMB), Outta My Head

[©!nful]

After listening to the whole thing all I can say is Leona's outdone herself big time. The album is everything I hoped for & more. It feels more mature than Spirit, but fresher at the same time. The production & lyrics blend really well. The track order works quite well too.

Her vocals on Broken & Can't Breathe are insane. My Hands & Stop Crying Your Heart Out are sooo emotional. Brave is just epic. Outta My Head & Naked are catchy as hell, pop perfection. I'd say Alive is the weakest track, and even then I'd still give it a 7/10.

It's strange to me that they chose one of the tracks with the least replayability as the lead single. It'll cost them in early sales, but there's definitely a few hits here that could resurrect the album later on, assuming radio gives her a chance.

My top 3 are probably Broken, Can't Breathe & Outta My Head as well. She should definitely work with Harvey Mason Jr. again. The production he did on Can't Breathe really suits her. I love the R&B influence.

[muziclvr1]

^^ Agree totally! I love "Can't Breathe" as well. Is there any word on what the second single is? I really think it should be 'Broken.' Vocally it's easily her best work, and it just screams smash!

[©!nful]

I don't think they've picked a 2nd single. I definitely wouldn't mind it being a single at some point though. But not yet, two ballads in a row would be risky.

I'm so pissed Naked is only a bonus track in the US. :( Pop radio would eat that up.

Hopefully "You Don't Care" and "Fly Here Now" are good too.

[BrokenArrow]

Yikes, there's loads of good tracks, "Outta my Head" sounds like a WW smash of epic proportions.

Loving "Lost then found" and "Stone Hearts" will always be one of my fav's but why have they hidden it ?

[picklerclarkson]

Aw I loved the breakdown on Outta My Head. :(

[HEADOFTHEPACK]

This is so superior to Spirit.

[r.enato]

Finally! Downloading! =D

[BrokenArrow]

Nov 5, 2009 21:21:15 GMT -5 Mike said:

Oh My God.

Her vocals on "Broken" are giving me chills everywhere. She really, really, really, really killed it.

Edit: This song seriously might have her best recorded vocals ever lol. I can't get over how good she sounds. Total eargasm.

Holy crap, I have goosebumps everywhere :o

[r.enato]

I'm gonna do a full review later, but Outta My Head is so hot!!!

[S_Bunny]

*downloading*

Will also be giving a full review after I've listened to all the songs a few times.

[Stephen]

SO much better than Spirit. Get that smash Leona! Although most of the songs aren't my style, I can't deny how brilliant she sounds. Outta My Head is EPIC though!

[coolmusicftw]

Not one filler tracks, it's just epic :o

[BrokenArrow]

Ryans upped the production on "Lost and Found", its epic, it has to be a single at some point.

[Brethren]

While I'm not quite as excited as you guys, I do love Can't Breathe. That song is the clear standout on the album. It sounds like a song that has been taken from the early 90's and then remade for this decade. Awesome.

[benmcd2000]

I’ve listened to the album and while I like a few of the songs, I don’t hear one hit on this album. “Happy” is probably the most commercial track and it looks like it’s finished at Top 40. I fail to see what all the hype is about “Outta My Head.” Leona just sounds strange on it…not one of the better songs Max Martin has done. “Don’t Let Me Down” really doesn’t do anything for me….not sure why they wasted valuable album space with this track. The songs that are good are the ones I could never picture being released….”Can’t Breathe” is really well crafted and produced. Leona sounds beautiful on it. “My Hands” is probably my favorite song….I love the hook! “Love Letter” is good too…nice laid back mid-tempo.

The other ballads are ok…but this is Leona Lewis. She has access to the best material in the world and I think she really missed the boat on this album. I haven’t heard any ringing endorsements from Clive or Simon about this album. Where is JR. Rotem?? I think the label gave Leona too much control over this album and the results, while something she may be very proud of, don’t live up to all the hype!

[©!nful]

I have to disagree completely. Especially about Happy being the most commercial, lol.

[Flare]

What an amazing album! The whole thing is so cinematic and epic. Outta My Head and Naked are brilliant uptempos. Her vocals on Can't Breathe and Broken especially are immense, although I think My Hands is the most emotional.

Brave and Don't Let Me Down have been improved a lot from the versions that leaked. I would probably say Love Letter and Stop Crying Your Heart Out are the weakest but even they are still great. :)

Nov 5, 2009 21:10:47 GMT -5 Mike said:

They cut the breakdown out of "Outta My Head" in the album version. :(

That was just for the live performance. It worked great with the dance routine but I'm glad it's not in the studio version as it would have made the song drag too long. It's perfect length now. :)

[MusicalityFactor]

Ok.. This album is TOO good! Love Love it!

[HEADOFTHEPACK]

It's a shame the reviews seem to be quite middling.

Happy 9/10
I Got You 7/10
Can't Breathe 7/10
Brave 8/10
Outta My Head 9/10
My Hands 5/10
Love Letter 6/10
Broken 5/10
Naked 7/10
Stop Crying Your Heart Out 6/10
Don't Let Me Down 8/10
Alive 7/10
Lost Then Found 8/10

I'd say that's a pretty solid effort and definitely a step up from Spirit. There's certainly filler material as you get halfway, but the singles here are clear and the Tedder productions in particular don't sound nearly as repetitive and tired as I thought they would. The lack of support for Happy surprises me a bit, I think it's a brilliant song and possibly my favourite of the set. It's still a little devoid of personality, but like I said it's a step in the right direction. If Happy does ultimately fail in the US, I'm sure OMH will sort that out. They'll probably go for something like IGY in Europe. Stop Crying Your Heart Out isn't as painful as it should be, but it feels like Run 2.0 and it's really a pointless addition.

[elementd5]

"Can't Breathe" I really just can't get past the vocals on this track. She sounds amazing.

[S_Bunny]

Really long review ahead

1. Happy 9/10- The first single. Starts of really slow and haunting. The lyrics hit you straight away and its instantly relatable (for me anyways), then the chorus powers in and Leona’s emotion overwhelms. I love the last chorus where the drums disappear and its just Leona singing with a piano.
My favourite part of the track is the last ‘I just WANNA be’

2. I Got You 9/10- ‘A place to crash, I Got You’ By far my favourite leaked track and the full album version doesn’t disappoint. The chorus is so catchy but I find it weird listening to the second verse cause I’m so used to listening to the clip lol.
My favourite bit ‘This is love and life…’ dunno I just love the way she sings that bit. Oh and the strings at the end, love those!

3. Can’t Breathe 10/10- Probably the most RnB track on the album and its just so addicting. I get totally mesmerise by it when I listen to it. LOL at the Rihanna sound-a-like doing backing vocals. This is another one that just has to be a single. Her voice is magical on this.
Favourite part ‘Oh oh I don’t want it, Oh oh I don’t want it And I CAAANT BREEEAATHE’ and ‘I’m coming up, coming up for breath’

4. Brave 7.5/10- Prefer the new beginning doesn’t sound like the beginning of MLWSWY anymore. This track epitomise what Leona said about the album, the big epic organic sound. This track highlights that.
Favourite part ‘Oh oh ooh oh oh ooh’ near the end.

5. Outta My Head 9/10- This should shut up the ‘Leona can’t do up-tempos’ people. This suits her way better than Forgive Me and is just too catchy. This has the catchiest chorus on any song on the album hands down for me. Needs to be second single.
Favourite part ‘Its funny how easy you can mess me up, now watch how I easy I get you Outta My Head’

6. My Hands 8/10- The most emotion Leona has put in any track. Her lower tone is so great on this too. This belongs as the soundtrack to a movie or one of those sad last episode of a popular sitcom where the much loved couple breaks up.
Favourite part ‘They will not let me GO no they will not LET ME GOO’

7. Love Letter 7/10 -A lot of people think this is the weakest but I really like it. Its not amazing but its just a nice laidback track. Makes me think of summer listening to the radio in a car with the windows up and the wind blowing in my hair.
Favourite part ‘Yes baby you’ll remember me… ooohh ohhh’

8. Broken 9.5/10 - OMG where do I start? The best vocals on the album by a long shot. Makes me want to get really broken-hearted so I can walk in the rain and listen to this on my ipod and feel every word and emotion wholeheartedly.
Favourite part ‘SAAAVE ME’

9. Naked 9/10- Its started and I was thinking is this the same song from the clip? I didn’t expect a the acoustic guitar. WOW when the chorus hits in. This so radio friendly and an extremely bad decision to not put this on the American version of the album.
Favourite part ‘Oh no, now what can I do, I’m naked, I’m naked without you’

10. Stop Crying Your Heart Out 8/10- Run 0.2I’ve always love this song and Leona has my favourite voice so I knew I’d like this. I don’t feel as if its as amazing as Run though.
Favourite part ‘And all of the stars are fading away…’ and the runs at the end.

11. Don’t Let Me Down 8/10- The leak version of this was a grower for me. I always have to LOL at the ‘Fork in the road’ bit. Although I prefer this arrangement, Justin’s bit on the demo was much better for me.
Favourite part’ I got my ear to the ground, that’s the sounds of my train coming round.’

12. Alive 6.5/10- Probably my least favourite track on the album. Its just a better version of I Will Be for me.
Favourite part ‘Where do I go when I’m so Aliiiive’

13. Lost Then Found (featuring One Republic) 7.5/10- Ryans and Leona’s voice go well together and I’m happy the collaborated as they have a great working relationship.
Favourite part ‘What would it take to forget who’s to blame, I’m tired crying at the sound of your name’

[Spidey]

Outta My Head NEEDS to be a single. It's great!