By Fawn Renee

Clive Davis is a musical genius whose ear for music is legendary among executives in the industry today. He doesn’t take an artist and make them a star; he finds stars and molds them into artists. He’s brought some of the brightest stars to the forefront, such as Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, Alicia Keys, Jazmine Sullivan and now Leona Lewis. 

 We were first introduced to Lewis in 2007 with the release of her debut album Spirit. The album’s preceding single “Bleeding Love,” produced by Ryan Tedder of One Republic, hit every Hot 100 chart you could fathom. Lewis quickly garnered the critical acclaim that most Clive Davis protégés inherit- she was beautiful and fresh, with extraordinary vocals. Now she’s back with her sophomore release and the pressure to exceed expectations is clear and present; she has a legacy to preserve.

 The extent to which Echo follows Clive Davis’ potent formula for transcending stardom pushes it into the realm of unoriginality. Echo, in essence, is just an ‘echo” of Mariah Carey circa 1990, when she was young, fresh and new, killing the game with her impressive, mottled vocal range. Consider Echo Carey-lite, with the same vocal perfection, heart-wrenching ballads and beautiful songwriting, minus the soul.

 The album’s first single, “Happy” is one of many strong vocal presentations on the album, effortlessly showcasing Lewis’ impressive 5-octave range. The strength of the song is notable in that it’s being used to promote the compelling, controversial film Precious, yet it seems as if Lewis’ performance of the song is almost forced and not genuine, which is unfortunate because it’s such a beautiful song. Still, listeners are once again afforded the opportunity to feel the magic that is created when Lewis and Tedder collide.

 Lewis is at her best when collaborating with the One Republic front man. On the hidden track “Stone Hearts and Hand Grenades,” Lewis’ voice is nearly ethereal, but still manages to breathe life into Tedder’s lyrics, with One Republic’s instrumentals ingeniously floating in the background like a seasoned orchestra.  Here is one of the rare moments when Lewis’s soul is present, and is found in the simplicity of her voice.

 Lewis also enlisted the musical expertise of Justin Timberlake on this album. “Don’t Let Me Down” is reminiscent of the classic Timbaland-Timberlake collaboration found on FutureSexLoveSounds (no doubt a side-effect of the extensive collaborative work of the duo), complete with a slow and steady crescendo leading up to a dramatic string section and head-nodding percussion. Here, Lewis rhythmically sings of the vulnerability of putting your heart in someone’s hands, hoping they wont let you down; a situation any red-blooded human being can relate to.

 One of the last songs Lewis recorded for Echo was “Can’t Breathe,” on which she collaborated with legendary producer-songwriter Harvey Mason, Jr. While Lewis has another strong showing, vocally, the vocal arrangement of the song is what pulls you in. Contrarily, on “Broken,” Lewis’ vocals are front and center as she sings, “I know it’s going to take some time to realize. I’ve got nothing left inside. Nothing you haven’t broken.” The song is wrenching with heartache and this time around, Lewis makes it believable, with a vocal performance in the last 90 seconds that could arguably give 90s Mariah Carey a run for her money.

 In the vein of Carey, Lewis has solidified that she is only suited for heartfelt ballads, and not much else. Echo’s weakest moment is when she attempts to “echo” her peers and create a club-friendly dance record. “Outta My Head” is a cheap rendition of Kylie Minogue, and even this carefree, upbeat record isn’t believable from Lewis. The attempt is notable but inconsistent with the rest of the album, and as a result magnifies Lewis’ flaws as an artist. In her defense, it took Carey years to perfect the mid-tempo pop sound Lewis was trying to create for this record, so she has plenty of time to get it right.

 Lewis as herself is phenomenal. Lewis as Mariah Carey reincarnated is average. Still, Echo certainly passes the test of the sophomore jinx, as she continues to showcase her raw talent and gradually expand her musical style. With a little more emotion to match her dynamic voice, this album could easily be a standout. Unfortunately Lewis misses the mark there. But with Davis in her corner and two albums under her belt, Lewis’ voice may soon be the one echoed.

  out of 5

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