Customer Reviews

Lee Lessack

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This first album of Lee's is simply stunning. His command of his own voice and control of the emotive material far surpasses anything I have previously heard. If God has a voice, it MUST sound very like this. His treatment of Jonathan Wesley Oliver Junior is poignant and understated. There are no bad tracks on this album, each is rich in quality and skill. It sounds like a carefully chosen fifth or sixth album....if Lee ever has to do a greatest hits album, he will have to include them all. Buy it!

Lee Lessack wraps his warm, rich voice around your heart as he sings poignant lyrics of unusual songs. His delivery is sincere and honest. A magnificent voice. I have had his cd for six months and still play it as much as I did when I first got it. You will return to it over and over, whenever you really want to feel the feelings that he feels.

It is such a pleasure to listen to this recording. Not only is it refreshingly different from the commercialized fare that is so prevalent, but it is a wonderful showcase for Lessack's lovely voice and for an astonishing variety of songs, from the old spiritual, "The Water is Wide" to the standard "Out of this World" to many songs not familiar to most listeners.

There are so many emotions felt when you listen to this CD. Some of the cuts are upbeat and delivered with a joy of life. Others like Jonathan Welsey Oliver Jr. tear your heart out. I can't listen to this cut and drive a car as they are surely misted over. That is becuase the words are heartbreaking, but only because they are delivered with such perfection.

It's hard to eat one's words, but in a review of Lee's second album, "I Know You By Heart," I was a little critical and rather disappointed. However, I listened to his first album today and wow, what an awesome C.D. The faults I cited in my other review are not evidenced in this collection. In fact, I can't find anything wrong with this one at all! What a magnificent voice! Clear, articulate, and very emotional! The highlights of a stunning collection: "In a Perfect World," a touching, tender and incredibly human song; "All I Know," a very good rendition of Jimmy Webb's beautiful song; "Falling" and "A Love Worth Fighting For" are likewise wonderful. BUT Lee's version of "The Water is Wide" is just amazing. It gave me goosebumps! What a beautiful interpretation of this lovely chestnut! Lee, if you read these reviews, please accept my apologies, and I look forward to your future releases!

The cabaret-style easy listening album is not an easy concept to pull off successfully without audience interaction - just ask Michael Feinstein - but Lee Lessack succeeds by matching his impeccable tenor with first-class songwriting. Some songs are familiar, by the likes of Rogers and Hammerstein, and Mercer and Arlen; others are from newer discoveries, like David Friedman and Ann Hampton Callaway (a respected performer in her own right).

But even the finest lyrics can fall flat if not delivered with heart and soul, and Lessack pours all he has into this collection. His style is simple; you won't hear many vocal flourishes or other "show-off" stuff here. Lessack shows respect for the lyrics and interprets them instead of overpowering them. The regretful "In A Perfect World" makes an indelible impression (God knows we've all felt this way a few times), as does the love-at-first-sight "Ten Minutes Ago" (pulled from the television musical version of "Cinderella").

But the tear-jerking highlights on this album fall at opposite ends of the emotional spectrum, and Lessack interprets them with subtle and honest vocal nuance. The wrenchingly romantic "What I Was Dreaming Of" is little more than a small happy-ending fable, but Lessack brings it to sparkling life. "Jonathan Wesley Oliver, Jr." delivers a tale of a life lost to AIDS with an emotional wallop that will remain with the listener long after the last note fades. This album moved me to tears not once, but twice. I can't recommend it more highly.

I own a decent amount of cabaret cd's, but this is the best I have ever heard. Mr. Lessack's voice is beautiful, and fully suited for this type of music. I especially enjoyed his rendition of Tom Andersen's song "Johnathan Wesley Oliver Jr." This cd is a "must have" for any fan of cabaret.

I find it very fitting that Lee Lessack's debut solo CD is self-titled, because what he does when he sings is really put himSELF, and of course that gorgeous voice, out there. This CD is a good indication of what kind of singer he is - one who uses his absolutely breathtaking voice to bring all the emotion and nuances of a varied and wonderful list of songs to the very lucky listener. And I do consider myself lucky for having heard this recording, and for being introduced in such a beautiful way to an amazing artist.

I love every song on this CD ("Out of This World," "What I Was Dreaming Of," "Falling," and "Ten Minutes Ago" are favorites), but the one that really grabs me in the pit of my stomach and moves me to tears every time is "Jonathan Wesley Oliver, Jr." Even if that was the only song on this CD, it would still be worth the purchase price.

I am not sure where to begin with this CD....I have literally not stopped playing this since I purchased it last week. I know how brilliant Lee is just from the first run of this CD.. His voice outshines all others I have ever heard and after experiencing these 12 tracks, you will become speechless, for their are no words to describe the magnitude of this man's talent!

His voice will travel to your heart, settle there, and never leave you. Lee's voice will leave an imprint on your soul and when that happens., consider yourself one of the luckiest people in the world!!

Each song is more beautiful and touching than the last...Lee seems to put a new and fresh spin on the words...his vocal range soars even higher and by the time you get to the end...you will be in tears from the words and the passion he delivers to you in each lyric.

This CD should keep you up at night, force you to reflect on your life and more importantly...make you thank god you were alive now to witness the GENIUS of this man! He is truly doing what God intended him to do....that is sing for all the world to hear.

I applaud Lee for having the intelligence and talent to share all HE IS with us.....:)

Lee Lessack - I was never more proud to have your music in my home!

These two words come from the bottom of my heart...THANK YOU!

Unfortunately I agree with below. He does have a good voice. But this album is boring :P