Lemar: The Reason
Lemar's found The Reason on album four
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Friday, 21, Nov 2008 11:11
Epic, out November 24th.
In a nutshell...
The soul man of British R 'n' B strikes out.
What's it all about?
Ten tracks coming in at roughly an hour long, with more of the darkened room smooth soul sound we've come to expect.
Who's it by
Lemar Obika. Another one of those, 'if you haven't heard of him, where have you been?' type names. For those that don't, he's a rare example of a reality pop show loser who has come good. He came third on BBC's Fame Academy (anyone else remember the show?!) but was definitely the standout. Sony were so impressed with him during a live duet with Beverley Knight on her tour, that they signed him up. He's gone from strength to strength in the UK.
As an example...
"She says I never listen and I'm not attentive to her emotions/I say she's got a tunnel vision, only sees it her way/So we never can work it out/She's all ready to give up and move on, I don't think she knows/How I wish sometimes she could read my mind/If she knew how bad I wanna make this work/How my love belongs to her/She wouldn't be able to walk away." - If She Knew
Likelihood of a trip to the Grammys
No no no. He'd have to break America first and that's not going to happen anytime soon. MOBOs and Brits aplenty though.
What the others say
"On this new collection he's at his best when, as on lead single If She Knew, he grasps the electronic R 'n' B coat tails of US stars like Ne-Yo and Chris Brown. The Reason proves to be an enjoyably addictive listen." - Peter Robinson, Observer
"There is a problem with the faster songs - too many of them drift by and lack the hooks of the more epic numbers. But that is a minor gripe - all in all The Reason shows Lemar to be one of the best British R 'n' B artists." - Priya Elan, Times
So is it any good?
It's absolutely fine. Frustratingly, though, it's more of the same from Lemar. I'm a fan of his. I think he has an incredible voice, and find it hard to believe he not only didn't win Fame Academy, but wasn't immediately picked up. Suffice to say, Simon Cowell would have had a field day with him. For anyone who has doubts, go and find his Live Lounge covers, then you'll know what real talent is all about.
What's frustrating is that I feel as though he's stagnating. His best tracks are those which ape the likes of Chris Brown or Ne-Yo, and with the excellent Taio Cruz bringing the American R 'n' B sound to the British shores, Lemar might be in trouble of being overtaken. If Estelle and MIA can go to the States and work with the likes of Jay-Z and Kanye West, I don't know what's stopping Lemar, because he's arguably a better talent that both of them. He not only sings, but also writes and helps in the production of his own records (much like MIA).
Honestly, this album isn't likely to win over any new fans. For me, if you want a classic soul album this year, you won't need to look much further than John Legend's Evolver. But for Lemar fans, you're not likely to be let down.
6.5/10
Rob Wheatley