Leona Lewis // Fire Under My Feet

 
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Has it really been nearly two years since we heard anything from Miss Lewis? Apparently so (her last release being the collection of Christmas tracks). We won’t lie and say that we never know what to expect from Leona, but given that she’s jumped record labels in the time that she’s been away,she’s now ready to show what she’s got on offer from her forthcoming album, I Am.

Fire Under My Feet is the first single to be lifted from the album. It’s does have a very familiar sound to Adele’s Rolling in The Deep but for Leona, it does feel very minimal compared to some of the other releases. This feels a bit more of what we’ve been wanting to hear from Leona instead of the route that she had headed down (although the Christmas album did feel quite suitable for her).

It’s an interesting sound for a comeback for her and will be interesting to see how people react chart wise. It also raises questions on what the rest of the album will sound like too.

Rating: 4/5

Leona Lewis // One More Sleep

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It’s been a while since we’ve heard anything from Miss Lewis but now she’s making a return with a Christmas album and first offering from it is One More Sleep.

This sounds a bit more like Leona compared the last few releases that we’ve heard. It’s got that Motown feel and Lewis’ voice just seems to flow from one note to the other and there’s one heck of a note at the end of the bridge!

We think it’s got the markings of the next classic Christmas track and already ready to take it’s seat along with Slade, Mariah and the rest of the gang who pop up each year at this time of year.

Rating: 5/5

Leona Lewis // Lovebird

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The latest offering from Miss Lewis’s 3rd album Glass Heart is the song Lovebird.

Your lovebird’s flying away is what she sings but sadly, it’s no surprise that the Lovebird is leaving. Sadly, there is nothing here that screams Lewis and to be honest, it feels like a generic track that any old singer could have performed. It never seems to be taken anywhere and is the longer is goes, the more you just want to put the poor thing out of it’s misery.

There’s been something missing from the last couple of tracks from the album that makes us think, had the album been released when it should have, then maybe the song would come across better. We’re still waiting for something to inspire us.

Rating: 2/5

Leona Lewis // Trouble feat. Childish Gambino

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It’s been almost a year since we heard anything from Leona (Hurt: The EP was released last December while fans awaited the release of Glassheart) but now she’s back with a second offering from the forthcoming 3rd album.

Trouble is dark and brooding, and reminds us a little of Emile Sande….and it’s probably because that she had a hand in co-writing the track. However, that’s about as much as it reminds us. The opening of the song feels as if Lewis is singing right at the top of her range and it’s painful to listen to. Though once that’s over with it’s her usual and familiar tones that are present. It does feel as if the bridge has had it’s melody nicked from Delierium’s Silence though.

Somehow we can’t help thinking that this should be going somewhere else, but it never seems to do that. Not doing anything for us, but no doubt after her performance on this weekend’s X-Factor (and we’re sure that it will be seeing it’s released at the weekend) it will be up in the top 10 somewhere

Rating: 3/5

Leona Lewis // Hurt: The EP

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With her 3rd studio album, Glass Heart being pushed back until March 2012, Lewis releases Hurt: The EP, a collection of three cover tracks.

First off, we have the title track of the EP, Hurt (Done by Nine Inch Nails and Johnny Cash). First off, if you can make sense of quiet sections congratulations. Then there is that odd dischord. The only points at which you can make sense of her is during the bridge and chorus sections where she seems to find her voice once more. Next is the GooGoo Doll’s Iris and whilst the original hadn’t exactly the quickest tempo, this version of it is just so slow that you could fall asleep to it! Slowing it to this tempo it just doesn’t work. And finally we have The Counting Crow’s Colourblind, the only song to be identifiable.

Sadly we don’t see a point to this collection. Two of the tracks are hard to identify and whilst, yes it good to make the song yours, it does help if the listener can make out what is being said and what the song is supposed to be. Leona fans will probably enjoy but that’s probably about it.

Rating: 1/5

Leona Lewis & Avicii // Collide

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It's been over a year since the release of Leona's 2^nd album, Echo. And at the start of September, the first release from the, as yet unnamed,forthcoming album will be made.

Called Collide, it features an instrumental piece from Swedish DJ Avicii called 'Penguin'. And all good Leona fans will probably know the controversy round the song already. Anyway, onto the song itself. This time around, they're heading in a more dance orientated feel although sadly the mono syllabic words of the verses don't do anything for Lewis' voice and it truth, it is only the final chorus where her voice truly shines.

It probably not the strongest comeback. Will it stick? Well, the fans will probably make sure that it charts somewhere, but whether it's enough to make others take notice is another thing altogether. Hopefully, this is not the slippery slide downwards...

Rating: 2/5

Leona Lewis // I Got You

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Single no. 2 from album number 2 and have to say that from the outset, this is 10 times the single that the depressing and bizzarely named Happy was.

It’s a fun little number more upbeat more pleasant sounding on the ears. The chorus lyrics appear to be broken in to 2 syllable words and where this would normally annoy, this actually works. Gently sung verse lyrics into the broken sounds of the chorus are not an issue. Actually, this might be one of the few good tracks on the album as a whole.

The single is backed with the song Heartbeat, a slower tempo song in contrast to the main track and roughly on the same kinda wavelength subject wise.
Overall this is a great single choice, especially for the time of year and may entice those who struggled with happy back for another listen should they not have bought the album (Echo) Fans may have thought that the next single may have been My Hands, which as gamers will know, is the theme to the English / European version of the latest instalment of Final Fantasy series, Final Fantasy XIII. (due to be released 9th March 2010)

Rating:4/5