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Elly Roberts reviews
White Rabbit/Sony BMG
- Released: September 2006
- Rating: 6/10
With his recent MOBO sitting nicely on the mantelpiece, Lemar is having a great year.
It now goes with his two previous MOBOs and two Brits. He also gave a stylishperformance of latest single Its Not That Easy. Now comes the album,The Truth About Love.
The former Fame Academy 2 winner is blazing a rare trail as a soul singer, atangent from his earlier R&B efforts. In fact, he has no real competition inthe UK, with the USA his next target. Cutting it there might be a bigger dealthan he realises. With experience and time, Lemar could be a huge star becausehes got a solid voice, in many ways like Terence Trent DArby.
Also interesting, is the songwriting credits, where hes thrown in 10 solo orco-written songs from the 14. Its the usual fodder, romance, or the lack of it.
Predictably, everything about the albums production is silky smooth, but Istill cant help feeling it lacks that one essential ingredient. Its a rarecommodity, few have it. Joss Stone (who ironically pops up on a couple oftracks) has bucket loads of it, and continues to improve. It comes fromsomewhere that is almost indescribable, though can be found on gospel records.
As we all know, soul music is a derivative of gospel that is sung with passionfrom the deepest depths of the soul. In effect it requires some element ofsuffering, either on behalf of the writer or singer. Lemar operates from thehead and heart, which simply isnt enough to be convincing. His MOR approachis undoubtedly radio friendly, much like some of the 80s and 90s soulsters -Luther Vandross and Alexander ONeal.
As a listening experience its very accessible, though at times dull andsaccharine like. Track 2, Love Me Or Leave Me sees him giving his all,with some stylish singing, similarly on Its Not That Easy andSomeone Should Tell You. Blandness ensues on Be Faithful, butfollow-up, perky Tick Tock breaks the monotony, until the next four,sounding more like fillers.
A retro sounding cover of Cole Porters Lets Fall In Love is a totallybizarre inclusion. Joss Stone out-classes Lemar on Love Me Or Leave Me(the best track on the album) and Anniversary, though they complimenteach other well, with things beefed up a bit. Beauty Queen is more inthe trad soul tradition – real belter – with insipid Your Face closingthe album.
There are some very good moments; however theyre in short supply.
Weblink:Lemar-Online.com /Joanna Burns PR.com
The full list of tracks included are :
1. Intro
2. Love Me Or Leave Me
3. Its Not That Way
4. Someone Should Tell You
5. Be Faithful
6. Tick Tock
7. Just Cant Live Without Each Other Love
8. Cant You See (featuring Styles P & Mica Paris)
9. When A Heart Is Broken
10. Caroline
11. Lets Fall In Love (interlude)
12. Anniversary (featuring Joss Stone)
13. Beauty Queen
14. Your Face
Elly Roberts passed away in 2011, but he was a man who was so passionate about all types of music and loved meeting his musical heroes, such as Mick Hucknall at a book signing at the Trafford Centre, Manchester in 2007.
A former teacher and also a music journalist, DJ and radio presenter on local community station Calon FM, plus appearances on BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru and BBC Radio 2, Elly started doing reviews for DVDfever.co.uk in 2004 and he did the majority of the CD and concerts reviews on the website.
I know also that he loved getting away for the summer to Spain and I hope that wherever he is now he is enjoying the hot sunshine and, as one of his friends has said on his Facebook page, that he is interviewing his musical heroes.