When her sophomore set underperformed, Syco execs knew drastic measures were called for. A call went out to songwriters with a very simple missive: “no ballads.” Album number three, Glassheart (out in the UK), would free Leona from her adult contemporary shackles and relaunch the 27-year-old as the thinking man’s dance diva. Nice plan, but “Collide,” the intended lead single, stiffed, and the usually scandal-free singer became embroiled in an ugly plagiarism lawsuit. Instead of forging ahead with her new sound, the album was postponed for over a year and largely re-recorded in a more familiar style.
Glassheart version 2.0 is a depressingly polite affair that lacks substance and commercial foresight. “Collide” didn’t set the charts on fire, but it proved to be ahead of its time, as club records are hot right now. If Leona had stuck with her original vision, the prospects of this album would be very different. Instead, the diva plays it incredibly safe by working with the game’s hottest writers and producers — which makes the sterility of the finished product all the more galling. The production is uniformly top notch, the Lewis’ vocal prowess is beyond repute and she has even tried to ride alongside the dubstep bandwagon. The only thing missing from Glassheart is Leona’s personality.
The rest of Glassheart varies from mid-tempo to no-tempo ballads. First the good: hitmaker Bonnie McKee joins forces with Fraser T. Smith on the achingly beautiful “Un Love Me.” This dizzying anthem will have you power-grabbing like Celine Dion in Las Vegas. Then there’s this album’s very own “Bleeding Love”: if you could genetically engineer a clone of that, hit it would probably sound a lot like “Lovebird,” with its pretty piano intro and instantly hummable chorus. This could be song that turns things around for Leona in the States.
Now for the bad, which runs from Leona-on-autopilot balladry (the lazy Whitney Houston knock-off “I To You” and LP’s apologetically meek contribution “Fingerprints”) to bizarre experiments that just don’t work. The most worrying is Ryan Tedder’s “Favourite Scar” — it sounds like Britney’s “Circus” with a Tears For Fears backing track. Nothing about that combination is good. The biggest disappointment is probably the album’s official lead single. It’s hard to fathom how Leona could turn down Rihanna’s “We Found Love” for a song that sounds like a virtual remake of Emeli Sande’s vastly superior “Daddy.” (The Scottish diva must have been extremely tired when she penned this).
The addition of a rap from Childish Gambino (on single “Trouble”) feels forced and it’s an awkward reminder that, three albums into her career, Simon Cowell’s golden girl has yet to forge her own identity. Leona seems destined to live in the shadow of other women who did it first and better.
The Best Song Wasn’t The Single: “Glassheart” is one of 2012’s best floor-fillers, while “Lovebird” has radio hit written all over it.
Sounds like: Everything else Leona has ever recorded.
Best Listened To: When doing the ironing or other household chores.
Idolator Rating: 2.5/5
— Mike Wass
I couldn’t agree more. The album is a complete bore. It also sounds dated…especially where dubstep is apparent. “Collide” was a great song and her acoustic EP witth “Colorblind” was amazing. She could do both, it’s just a matter of picking the right songs. “Echo” had some very underrated ballads on that album. I’m surprised people didn’t discover some of them, but I’m sure her fans did. I’ve never been a huge Leona fan…she hasn’t exactly found what works for her but ballads do work for her she just needs to pick the ones that could translate across airwaves.
I havent heard the album yet but your whole article sounds like you have an agenda aginst her.
i agree i think the album is brilliant its a damn site better than other artists albums i have bought at least leona can sing and not autotuned
i disagree i think the album is fantastic i love every single song i am so addicted to it
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It does sound like you have agenda against leona, dont know why, but listen to adele album and you wont hear anything better, the fact is she won xfactor and still is the best singer that has come out of the show, most of the people who are making comments probably havent even spent the time to listen to what they are criticising. If she was a boozer, drug taker or bratish you would love her.
You spend an entire review comparing Leona to Mariah which seems lazy. You didn’t review the album on its own merit but by what you think she should accomplish as a Mariah successor, which is unfair and reductive. They both have great voices (well, Mariah did at one point) and they both have sang ballads in their time, but that’s about it. On one hand you call her safe, and then you point out her ‘bizarre experiments’. You spend half of the review talking about past work. This review is disappointing in quality.
The album is amazing!. Thats why i dont like reviews its just the opinion of someone! Listen to the album and you’ll see its another history
YOU might not like Leona’s music….so why bother reviewing an album from someone who’s kind of music you obviously don’t like?? It’d be like me reviewing a Metallica album…can’t stand that type of racket… but there’s millions who DO! Reviews are so stupid because we’ve all got diff taste’s.
I’ve just got this album today, and after 2 full listens….I think it’s much, MUCH better than her other 2 albums!
Had it cranked right up loud in the car and the hairs on the back of my neck were literally standing on end!!!
Fantastic album….IMHO
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LoL wow, he really knocked my personal favorite on the album “Favorite Scar,” which he also sloppily titled incorrectly. The song is edgy, different, and the most attitude we’ve ever heard from Leona. Someone needs to stop trying to be the “last comic standing” and actually give us a quality review…
Honestly, who cares what the reviewer thinks?!? His opinion is just that—an opinion, and that’s fine. I never put much stock into what someone else thinks. Therefore, it does not sway MY opinion that Leona is one of the most talented artists of her generation and that is why I will always support her! As far as the comparisons to my beloved Mariah, WHO CARES?!? They both have amazing talent and I appreciate both without bias or expectations!
Honestly, if Leona kept “We Found Love” it would not have been a huge single for her especially after “Collide” failed to do wonders. I honestly believe “We Found Love” became successful because it came from Rihanna. That song is just waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too repetitious. Leona would have been heavily criticized for releasing a song like that. All of the reviewers who are puzzled as to why she didn’t keep it would have been puzzled as to why she is forcing club songs on us, especially one that is extremely repetitive like the backing track.
WOW! I am completely confused with your rating Mike Wass. What a joke. This new album is amazing. So current, mature and well balanced. I can’t say enough great things about it.
“Fireflies” which is the next single is one of Leona’s best songs to date.
“Lovebird” is “Bleeding Love” part 2 and is just as equal if not a better song.
“Glassheart” is a gem and moves her in the dancefloor direction.
“Come Alive” another futuristic gem which has Leona breaking out of her shell.
“Sugar” is another dancefloor thumper with single patential.
There is not one bad song off this album and every song can be a hit.
Thank you Leona for coming back and brining your beautiful voice to us.
Long Live Leona!
I hate to say it, but I agree with the review. I love her voice, and think its one of the most beautiful voices in pop. I’m confused why they shelved and reworked this album for so long, and it’s still mediocre. Yes I like a couple of the songs, but as long as it was worked on, it should put Spirit to shame. She needs to fire her team and get some people with some musical sense. They always end up releasing crap singles that don’t chart. I almost feel like they’re trying to sabotage her
I feel that this is a biased review given by a silly person.
Leona is a most talented singer and will succeed in spite of this
review. I love every single song on Glassheart. She sings
from the heart.
Best listened to when doing the ironing? Or other household
chores? How absolutely insulting!
What would you have people doing when they listen to
most of the skanks out there while they sing?
This album is absolutely brilliant. Give it a few listens as the vocals are far more detailed (and more interesting in the long term) than at first they might seem (I dare any other singer to try and match them!). Well worth the wait – a genius’s work of musical art to treasure.
Regarding her career, she’s achieved more phenomenal success thus far in her field than most people can make happen in a lifetime: a little perspective is perhaps needed. The comparisons with other great artists is somewhat a matter of taste, though when played side by side I think Leona is in a league of her own.