Leona Lewis, 'Echo'

The 'X Factor' winner tries her best to top 'Bleeding Love'

By Keith N. Dusenberry

Special to Metromix

Release date: November 17, 2009
Record label: J
Official Web site: http://www.leonalewismusic.co.uk/

The buzz: After owning a large chunk of last year’s airwaves with the single “Bleeding Love” from her debut LP, “Spirit,” British TV singing competition winner Leona Lewis returns with her hotly anticipated follow-up. In advance interviews, she’s been hyping the set’s increased amounts of live instrumentation and edginess.

The verdict: The spin may be that this is Lewis’ album to grow and explore minor stabs at freedom in her sound—surprise: there’s little “edge”—but the only question for most listeners remains: Is anything here as good or better than “Bleeding Love”? The quick answer: No. But the baby steps forward made by Lewis and her high-profile producers (OneRepublic’s Ryan Tedder, who helmed “Bleeding Love,” Max Martin, Kevin Rudolf and Justin Timberlake among them) indicate she’s at least willing to reach for something beyond “Bleeding Love”—it just hasn’t happened yet. As was the case with her debut, Lewis is betrayed here by sub-par songs and still too-safe producers, all apparently chosen by her “mentors” Simon Cowell and Clive Davis. Here’s hoping the next LP finally gives her more than just a couple passable singles to work with. In the meantime, cop the decent “Happy,” the better pop-R&B hyperballads “I Got You” and “Can’t Breathe,” and the going-big-time-without-going-diva “Broken” from this stepping stone of an album.

Did you know? On the slightly different U.K. version of “Echo,” there’s a cover of the Oasis song “Stop Crying Your Heart Out.”