Deliciously Dedicated to Lemar (Dedicated - Lemar)

Member Name: yummy87

Product:	Dedicated - Lemar
Date:	20/02/04 (186 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Fantastic vocals

Disadvantages: Weak lyrics in places

Some months ago I was watching a music channel on the television, when I was completely mesmerised by the voice of a young man singing his debut single release in the United Kingdom. That song was called ?Dance with U? and the artist?s name was Lemar. It transpired that Lemar Obkiu was a contestant on BBC1?s programme ?Fame Academy?, televised to rival ITV?s ?Pop Idol? and was defeated in the final by David Sneddon.

With the release of his second single ?50/50? late last year, I was hooked and purchased Lemar?s debut album, with no hesitation when it arrived in the music shops in November of last year. The album can be purchased from www.play.com for £9.99 or from Amazon for a slightly cheaper £8.99.

As with so many albums ?Dedicated? begins with a short intro, which has a wonderful piano and guitar arrangement, accompanied by Lemar?s voice, which reaches an astonishingly high range, before a spoken dedication is heard.

The first track ?Dance with U? was also Lemar?s first single release, and it is no wonder that the track was hugely successful. Lemar?s voice is akin to that of Luther Vandross, and as well as having a wonderful range, he manages to ooze sex appeal while singing. ?Dance with U? is a ?feel good? track, in which Lemar proclaims everlasting love to the lucky lady in his life. The song is a blend of soul and funk, but the addition of a brass band section add another concept to an already strong opening number.

?Fresh? moves the tempo up a little with a strong funk influence, and I am immediately transported back to the Eighties and the days of The Average White Band. Lemar?s belief in himself and his self-assurance shine through in the song, in which he professes that he is a man full of confidence as he prepar
es for a night out. I defy anyone not to sway to the rhythm of the song and its uptempo bet.

?50/50? is the second single release from the album and has a slower beat. Lemar captures the essence of despair magically in this tale of betrayal and lost love, and his voice is absolutely stunning, in a track which can make the hairs on my arms stand up, every time I hear it. His use of street language in the song, make this popular with the younger generation and only proves that his music is popular for all ends of the age spectrum.

Sounds of pouring rain begin ?Another Day?, which slows the tempo down to that of a ballad. Another track telling of a relationship break-up, Lemar explores the reasons why the love affair ended, and wishes he had done things differently so that it may have continued along its path. Although this track is not one of the strongest one the album, it has a nice harmony but is not as emotional as some.

The analysing of a supposedly perfect relationship is explored in ?Sweet Love?, which funks the beat up again and a rhythmic clapping adds yet another concept to an already extensive repertoire. Although not lyrically strong, ?Sweet Love? has an almost moody feel to it, and the emotion is all too evident in Lemar?s vocals. Brilliant.

The mood slows again for ?No Pressure? in which Lemar proves that he is the perfect gentleman when it comes to relationships. His vocal range reaches amazing heights in the song in a track which needs little musical accompaniment apart from a guitar.

?Body Talk? blends a fusion of soul and funk in a song that proclaims that no words are needed in a strong relationship, instead the body language is more important. The addition of female backing vocals add more depth to the song, in which Lemar?s vocals are at their best and he reaches the high notes perfectly. 
9;ne of my favourites of the album.

Essences of Lionel Richie?s ?Hello? begin ?What about Love??, a ballad which asks questions about a relationship and tells of Lemar?s determination to make it work. The vocals in the track are softer, yet Lemar still manages to make his voice powerful, with the piano providing a perfect backdrop.

The introduction to ?Good Woman? left me in doubt that I would love this track, even before I had listened to it in its entirety. Attitude prevails and although the track is slow, Lemar lends an almost street feel in places, in his questioning of why many men do not appreciate their partners and conveys his hatred of domestic violence.

A cover of ?Let?s Stay Together?, already released by Al Green and Tina Turner, is included on the album. Although already a classic, Lemar almost manages to make it his own, and his voice can easily rival that of Green. Although he plays with the vocals a little, the songs is still as strong as it ever was, and he manages to capture the love and emotion in his voice. Fantastic.

?Let me say that since, since we've been together, loving you forever, is all I need
Let me be the one you come running to, I'll never be untrue?

?Hot Summer? is very reminiscent of a Craig David track, and Lemar?s vocals manage to make the transition from backing to main perfectly. Lemar has an amazing depth to this voice, and can make me believe that I am sitting in the middle of a tropical beach during a heatwave. Laden with sexual overtones, ?Hot Summer? is one of the best offerings on the album.

Slowing down and borrowing a riff from ?If you don?t know me by now?, Lemar vows to stay faithful to his partner, no matter what may happen in ?Alright with our love?, a song drip
ping with emotion. Vandross influences can be felt again, and Lemar proves that he has a voice to rival the greatest soul singers.

?Lullaby? begins with an instantly infectious rhythm that dominates the track, a love song which has influences of Darius, due to the style of guitar played during the song. Lyrically strong, the track is again full of emotion, and Lemar?s has no hesitation in letting his vocals convey that emotion to the world.

?All that I?m praying for is my love finds her like a lullaby, finds her in the night, sings her to sleep
All that I?m hoping for is my voice finds her like a lullaby, sings her so sleep she'll wake with me?

The final track ?All I ever do (my Boo)? tells of the beginning of a relationship and Lemar struggles with his feelings, but doesn?t want to open up too soon. An acoustic number, the song sets the scene for a slow ending to the album. Vocally, I would say that is probably the only track on the album that I did not immediately fall in love with, as it seems to have little or no tune, instead being more spoken than sung. That aside, it is by no means a weak track, but is instead different to anything else on the album.

Not only has Lemar proved that he has one of the most soulful voices I have ever had the pleasure to listen to, he also co-wrote the majority of the songs on the album on the album, adding yet another string to his ever-growing bow. The lyrics are not profound, but Lemar?s voice is so strong, the words do not seem to matter too much.

Lemar is blessed with a voice from heaven. With vocals set to rival Luther Vandross, and even the great Marvin Gaye, his whispery yet soulful tones have guaranteed that ?Dedicated? is an album worthy of a place in my album collection, and will be played for years to come.

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