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Spirit  | 
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Artist: Leona Lewis
Label: J-Records
Category: Music
List Price: $18.97
Buy New: $7.90
You Save: $11.07 (58%)
New (43) Used (10) from $7.90
Avg. Customer Rating:  88 reviews
Sales Rank: 9
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 5 x 0.5
MPN: 702554
UPC: 886970255424
EAN: 0886970255424
ASIN: B0012TBGYC
Release Date: April 8, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: Brand New - Factory Sealed - Shipped from Florida via USPS First class mail. We ONLY sell what we have in stock. NO back orders here.Import Edition
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| Tracks:
| • | Bleeding Love | | • | Better In Time | | • | I Will Be | | • | I'm You | | • | Forgive Me | | • | Misses Glass | | • | Angel | | • | The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face | | • | Yesterday | | • | Whatever It Takes | | • | Take A Bow | | • | Footprints In The Sand (UK bonus cut) | | • | Here I Am (UK bonus cut) |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Album Description
UK singer and songwriter Leona Lewis will release her debut album, Spirit, in America on April 8, 2008. For the first time, Clive Davis and Simon Cowell teamed up to sign Lewis to J Records/SyCo Music (Cowell's joint venture with Sony BMG), and are both actively involved in the recording process for Spirit. Lewis, a 22-year-old London native and winner of the hit TV show the X Factor, a British talent show, has broken all-time sales records there with Spirit entering the album chart at Number One and becoming Britain's fastest-selling debut ever. Spirit has scanned more than two million copies worldwide since its release in November. In addition, Spirit's lead-off single "Bleeding Love" -- co-written and produced by OneRepublic frontman Ryan "Alias" Tedder -- was the U.K.'s best-selling single of 2007, claiming the Number One spot for seven weeks. Ushering in 2008, Leona received four prestigious Brit Award nominations, the UK equivalent of the Grammy Awards. Leona is currently in the studio recording two brand new tracks for the U.S. release of Spirit - "Forgive Me" by singer/songwriter superstar Akon and "Misses Glass" from the cutting edge producer/writers Madd Scientist and Rock City. Spirit is a mix of fresh pop and R&B, filled with "songs with a contemporary edge," as Lewis puts it, ranging from soulful up-tempo numbers ("I'm You," "The Best You Never Had," and "Whatever It Takes," which Lewis co-wrote) to ballads ("Better in Time," "I Will Be," and "The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face" -- a song that Roberta Flack made famous). Tracks were written and produced by an array of top-notch hit-makers, including Tedder, singer/songwriters Akon and Ne-Yo, songwriters Josh Alexander and Billy Steinberg, and songwriter/producers Dallas Austin, Stargate, J.R. Rotem, and Lukasz "Dr. Luke" Gottwald -- all of whom have worked with some of the biggest names in pop. In addition to gracing the covers of UK fashion publications like Harper's Bazaar, US media are touting Leona as the artist to watch in 2008: People Magazine labels her "the UK's hottest star in an "Introducing" piece," Vogue presents her in their "People Are Talking About - The Vogue 25 Cultural Highlights of 2008" and Entertainment Weekly declares her one of "8 To Watch in 2008."
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| Customer Reviews: Read 83 more reviews...
A very worthy debut from a very talented new voice... May 9, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Listening to Leona Lewis's debut album `Spirit' is like taking a trip back to the early nineties and listening to Mariah Carey's `Music Box' for the first time. Even the infectious chart topper `Bleeding Love' oozes forth with nineties pop appear, sounding dated when compared to the beats circulating today's pop icons, yet serving as a refreshing take on the music flooding the airways. But the similarities to icon Carey do not end with the song construction for Leona Lewis herself has pipes on her that are destined for greatness. Yes, Leona has the goods to back up her hype. Sounding like a blessed mixture of Mariah Carey, Christina Aguilera and Toni Braxton, Leona Lewis has honestly one of the greatest voices I have heard in quite some time. She can hit the high notes, carry the long notes, caress the deep notes and deliver an all around perfect track, hit after hit.
`Spirit', the US version, differs from the UK version that I was able to get my hands on a few months back. There are, for the most part, the same tracks here, but they omitted some slower tracks and inserted some hip-hop savvy ones. This was a mistake in my opinion (why would you ditch the beautiful `Homeless' for the wretched `Misses Glass') but the majority of Lewis's album is so good that this misstep is forgivable.
So we'll start with the greatest single I've heard all year, `Bleeding Love', a beautiful song that I just cannot get enough of. The beat is totally early Carey, but Lewis's vocals are very mature and carry a different tone than Carey's does here. She sounds quite a bit like a more refined Braxton, hitting some deeper notes yet never losing her femininity (I love me some Braxton, but you have to admit she has a tendency to sound like a man). The lyrics are impressive and the song is just a perfect example of what we can expect from this powerhouse. I remember hearing her sing it live and I got Goosebumps, she is that good.
The second single, `Better in Time', is a great pop R&B track. The beat is infectious and Leona's vocals sparkle here. This breed of pop suits her well. She captures this same magic on `Whatever it Takes' and `Take a Bow' (why they dropped `Best You Never Had' is beyond me), both up-tempo tracks that are illuminated by her chilling vocals. Sadly the two new tracks don't hit these same notes. The Akon produced `Forgive Me' is not a bad song, but it fails to reach the memorable factor of songs like `Better in Time'. `Misses Glass', like I said, is wretched. Leona sounds great on both these tracks, especially on `Forgive Me', but the songs themselves are terrible.
And then we have the ballads, which really allow Leona to soar. `I Will Be' is sincere and touching and `I'm You' is just downright beautiful. She nails her take on `Yesterday' as well as her cover of `The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face', which serves as a justified highlight on the album. Personally I adore both `Angel' and `Here I Am', two more up-tempo ballads, both of which embellish Leona's graceful voice. That said, I am not a fan of `Footsteps in the Sand', a song I think is just a little too drag for my taste. It may have some nice and inspirational lyrics, but the song itself is ok at best. I wish they would have kept in `Homeless' instead, which was one of my favorite tracks off the UK version of this album.
In the end I highly recommend this debut album from British songstress Leona Lewis. Her voice is impeccable, undeniably beautiful and full of grace and maturity. The album flows nicely from track to track, a while there are a few low spots (I count three) there are so many high spots (ten to be exact) that you can't help but fall in love with this very strong debut. Leona is going to be around for quite some time; `Spirit' is proof of that.
 Slightly overrated.... May 9, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
So, I don't know what I was expecting, but this wasn't really it. Lewis can be boring, but, yes, her voice is lovely.
 Excellent CD May 9, 2008
I couldn't be happier with her CD. Her songs are so amazing. She has one of the most amazing voices. I ordered Alicia Keys' latest CD the same time as this and although I love Alicia, I listened to hers once and it didn't touch me as much as Leona's, maybe it's the time in my life that I'm at but the songs are more romantic. I can't wait for Leona to start touring. Would have been great if she joined Alicia on her 'As I am' tour.
I wish Leona all the best and hope she continues to be successful
 Work in Progress May 9, 2008
0 out of 2 found this review helpful
I purchased the CD because of reviews in newspapers and entertainment magazines. All claimed that she was next Big Thing to come from Britain. My intial impression was what were they thinking but after a few more times, I must agree that she has talent but the album is too much of a chinese take out menu (i.e., some from colum A, some from column B, etc.) I think she does well on some of the Ballads and R&B stuff. But when they try to put her into some of the edgier Pop/Rock her voice gets drowned out. Note to Leona don't try to out Kelly Clarkson, Kelly Clarkson. Both Corine Bailey Rae and Sade' have done well just by letting their voice shine.
Excellent CD May 9, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
I was not familiar with the singer, but had read some good reviews. The CD did not disappoint.
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