- Label
- Epic
- Release date
- 24th November 2008
- Genre
- Soul
- Buy this album
- Order CD
Consistent British soul man unveils average fourth album
Lemar Obika belongs to the very select club of TV reality show graduates who have overcome the lack of credibility intrinsic in such origins to carve out a lengthy career. Despite coming only third on Fame Academy in 2002, his subsequent three albums have each sold over half a million copies while simultaneously spawning a slew of Top 10 singles. Why, then, does his media profile remain so resolutely low?
It may be because he lacks a killer punch. Despite being a fine technical singer and diligent post-Motown soul classicist, Lemar has to date only delivered one truly memorable, mighty single in 2004’s epic If There’s Any Justice. True to form, The Reason sees him deliver another slick, seemingly heartfelt set of R&B ballads and upbeat soul while never sounding truly exceptional: only Weight Of The World and Little Miss Heartbreaker linger lightly in the mind as the album fades.
It’s no disgrace, but if Lemar is to be any more than a perpetual also-ran, it may be time to wheel in the A-list songwriters.
More to try:
Usher: Here I Stand
John Legend: Get Lifted
D’Angelo: Brown Sugar
