Customer Reviews

Let's Do It Again

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

The big question is definitely why is Leela James not as well known as she absolutely should be?! She blows away Jill Scott and so many others.

Her last album 'Change is Gonna come' was off the charts it was so good and the best album to come out in ages. Our household played it over and over and could never get enough of it. The more we played it the better it got.

Let's Do it Again is another fantastic album! Her version of George Clintons 'Id Rather Be with you' is so good it's my new favorite song, and Al Green's 'Simply Beautiful' is amazing!

Leela is a great talent, may the word spread so more people will enjoy this great talent.

When I learned Leela second album would be completely cover songs, I was slightly disappointed no new music was going to be on it. Plus, it seemed too early in her career to start covering songs. Well, I was wrong. I'm hooked on these songs! She sings the songs as if they were her own.

My Top 3 Faves: I Want To Know What Love Is, Baby I'm Scared Of You, Let's Do It Again

People, listen. In this day and age where very few artists do original songs and albums, all you can ask for is that the artist does something to make you want to go back and pull out the original songs so that you can listen to them back to back and actually wonder which one is better (after all, just because somebody else did it first doesn't absolutely make it the best ever; but you just have to thank the originator for coming up with a tune that will stand the test of time). Leela does all of these songs much justice, and I know somewhere Angela Bofill is smiling (I Try is awesome!). I found myself digging out James Brown (and every other version of It's a Man's Man's Man's World), Al Green's Simply Beautiful, and some of the others so that I could record them all in succession on disc and my MP3, just as I did with her version of A Change is Gonna Come (which, now Seal and Kirk Whalum have likewise done over, in addition to Otis Reddings amazing version). Leela did a great job on this CD, and whether she sings remakes for the rest of her life or makes new music, either one will be great as far as I'm concerned.

I just received this CD today and I already know it will be in heavy rotation. The remake concept works for her and her take on "Simply Beautiful" is simply exquisite. Enjoy!

Like most when I heard Leela was doing a cover's project I wasn't thrilled. Until I heard the samples. Then I became a little more excited. I love her first effort and also love this one. In my opinion, Leela James did covers well. fav songs on the project are Baby I'm scared of you,I Try, I'd rather be with you" Boosty Collins" not George Clinton, let's do it again, and of course Simply Beautiful. Nice job now for the next c.d let's come with orginals

Ok, let me start off by saying I like Leela as an artist. Her voice has that old school soul to it. Her last album was not bad, but did not sell well. Now while that's no indicator as to how good the music is, but I ask why a relatively unknown artist who's first album did not sell well do a cover album with no original material?

Don't get me wrong she does a good job, but I immediately compared this CD to Seal's Soul album. I don't think we know enough about Leela to really appreciate this album. The thing that seems to make cover songs work is that the artist is either well known and you want to see their interpretation of the song(s) or the new artist just blows the song(s) out the water and makes it their own. Leela does neither here. I hope her next CD is incredible and this great voice can be heard.

She is great artist I have loved her for years last year I got to see her in person at a Neo soul concert and she was high spirited and jamming I love this new mix she is truly gifted. I recommend her highly.

Let me explain something to any TRUE music lover out there.

Why this woman is not more popular is sheer madness.

He sound is a mighty wind that has been missing really in the industry for a long time.

My only bad remark about this current album is that Leela needs more origional music, I love her remakes that she has on the album expecially "I Try" are excellant, but I know she has her own style and her first album is one that every R&B lover should have in their collection.

I plead to all of you music lovers out there SUPPORT HER!!!.

She really deservesit and you will not be sorry that you did.

Am gonna be the wet blanket here but I find this CD a bit odd and certainly a disappointment when you look her debut album almost four years ago. "A Change Gonna Come" got everyone so so excited and rightly so! It seemed like the second coming of a powerful, almighty vocalist risen from the depths of Soul Music itself. Remember "Soul Food" "Ghetto" and her cover of "A Change Gonna Come" it blew everyone away. So what happened? A cover album as a follow up? mmm, I don't know about this, must've been tough trying to follow a phenomenal debut like that. But hey, it's not a total loss, it's actually a good cd to listen to because she has this really cool, strong soulful voice that this album can stand on its own, in that case it should really have four stars, but I have to stay with my rating because I think she could've done a much better follow up. The standout is her interpretation of Foriegner's "I want to know what love is" is sooo right on! Forget Foreigner, Leela's version is it. Moderately recommended, if you don't have her debut "A Change Gonna Come," you must have it. It's a much better representation of her.

Leela James' stunning debut, "A change is gonna come", was released in 2005, showcasing her gritty, powerhouse vocals on some retro-funk/soul jams. She co-wrote most of the album, except for two covers, a stirring remake of Sam Cooke's "A change is gonna come", and an incredibly moving and groovy soulful remake of the No Doubt Rock ballad "Don't speak", which she made her own.

If you liked those, then you'll really enjoy her new CD, aptly titled "Let's do it again", comprising covers of popular Soul and Pop songs. It is much more laid back than her debut, without the lite funk/Hip hop feel heard on songs like "Ghetto" or the D'Angelo-style "Rain".

Much of the songs are predictably true to the originals, with only her stirring vocal nuances and harmonising providing subtle differences here and there, James Brown's "It's a man's man's man's world" being a perfect example. It's also nice seeing Womack & Womack's gently bouncy "Baby I'm scared of you" appear here.

If you are familiar with the originals (as I am), there really isn't a need to go into a track by track description, so I'll just touch on a few standouts; the tender acoustic "Simply beautiful" (an Al Green cover which is lovely), the organ-drenched title track (a Staple Singers cover), and her sprawling, almost Jazzy remake of the Rolling Stones' Disco classic "Miss you" (the arrangement is similar to that of "Music" from her debut).

A highly enjoyable disc. However, as good as this is, I'm sure I'm not alone in hoping she reverts to her own originals next time around.