Music Review: Echo
What Parents Should Know
Parents need to know that even though there's a lot of
emotional turmoil here, listeners also get a healthy dose of
inspiration and motivation. Lewis deals with the weighty issues
of loss and unrequited love, but manages to also remind her
audience that there's a light at the end of the tunnel. The
romantic songs stay very tame, which make the release
appropriate for most age groups.
ECHO, the long-awaited follow-up to Lewis's break-out debut
hit
Spirit, is a bold album full of big vocals, live
instrumentals, and more guitar-driven sounds. But the pop style
is still firmly in place, and this Simon Cowell protege isn't
giving up the dance-floor spotlight just yet. Justin Timberlake
is one of many notable producers on the album, along with
Cowell and Clive Davis. Covering primarily love-gone-bad
scenarios, the album generally stays fast-paced, with thumping
beats and enthusiastic back-up choruses.
Leona Lewis might be having trouble in love on this album, but there's no shortage of songs for listeners to love here. A wonderful combination of pop sensibilities, classical grandeur, and near-perfect vocals, Echo is everything you'd want in a pop collection. Emotions don't get too heavy, but there's still inspirational moments: "Someone once told me you have to choose what you win and lose, you can't have everything, don't take chances, you might feel the pain, don't you love in vain...so what if I break down...'cause I'm just tryin' to be happy, ya." "Happy," "You Don't Care," and "My Hands" are a few of the standouts here. This album solidifies Lewis's status as a diva, in the truest sense of the word.
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