Leela James

I first discovered Leela James off Pete Rock's "Soul Survivor 2" album and I was blown away at her voice. She's a rare one folks, she has all the elements of music rapped in one voice, country, R&B, hip-hop, soul, you name it, she's got it. I definitly was looking forward to hearing her album and boy I was not disappointed at all! Leela drops a near classic album with a lot of tasty treats, which has that same vibe from Anthony Hamilton's first album. She starts the album off with a bang, "Music" which has her talking about the inferiority of radio music and the lost art of real music. She got some nice steppers cuts like "Rain" and the everlasting good drum tap and piano blend in the suppressing "It's Alright" two of the biggest highlights on the album. Oh it don't stop there, add on "Mistreating Me" with Leela tired of being done wrong shows mediocore artist how to really sing about being misused in a relationship.

Other highlights include short but simple Kanye produced "Married" that really shows the wide range in Ms. James voice, and "Soul Food" gives you a high powered perfomance with a lot of energy. She slows it down on "When you Love Somebody" and Gwen Stefani remake "Don't Speak", Leela provides a soul sound to the long time hit. My only knocks on this album is overproduced "Good Times" and "Ghetto" wasted a well written song on a mediocore beat from Wyclef. Some of the interludes could have stayed in the closet but other than that Leela provides us with a crisp soul album for the ages. One of the most slept-on artist in another batch of talented artist that will be ignored by casual music fans!

4 1/2 stars. A great album from Ms. James!

Like she laments on her first track, Leela James has noticed that the music of today is seriously lacking. It lacks soul, passion and originality. You have the same tired subjects regurgitated over beats that outshine the singers themselves. There is no drive (I know this is an exaggeration for there is some good music out there) left in music anymore, and that why when a fresh face like Leela James walks onto the scene you better take notice. She has class, edge and talent to back up her passion. This girl is going to pave the way for a new generation of singers who actually have a vision, who actually have a voice (literal and figurative) worth listening to.

She opens the album strong with the aforementioned `Music' and moves right along into the explosive `Good Times', a firecracker of a track that features Pete Rock. Leela is one of those artists who certainly possesses an old soul, but unlike singers like Joss Stone (another fantastic addition to today's music) she doesn't modernize her sound. She's comfortable toying with the Funk, Soul and Gospel vibes of times past and does so with masterful agility. This album, while fresh and original, sounds as if it could have been released in the glory days of Diana Ross. Sure, tracks like `Ghetto' have a serious hip-hop edge, but it still possesses a veneer that is all rhythm and `soul'. The track beautifully utilizes the infectious beat (those horns are amazing) not to mention guest vocals by Wyclef Jean. `Soul Food' is an even better example of soulful hip-hop. Leela ignites this track with her infectious vocals and smooth delivery. The song is so slinky, magnificently constructed to shoot straight for the heart.

`Rain' is a little dry for me. Leela sounds great but the overly repetitive beat is tiresome after a while. `Wen You Love Somebody' was the first track I heard off this album, and I was immediately hooked on her charm and style. The song is soft and fragile, Leela's beautiful vocals dominating in such a subtle and controlled manner. This same subtle domination can be heard on the following track, `Mistreating Me'. This track is elevated by delicate guitar work that adds some finesse to the finished product. Leela's voice sounds at the brink of collapse while she's uttering the word "better", and it's this simple touch that takes the meaning of this beautiful track to a new level.

One of the biggest highlights for me is Leela's cover of No Doubt's classic `Don't Speak'. Her take is inspired and magnificent to say the least. It's one of my favorite tracks on the album. I can't say for sure if it is `better' that the original, for Gwen and company truly delivered a masterpiece with `Don't Speak', but I can say that her interpretation takes the piece to a different plane and delivers beautifully all on its own.

`My Joy' smothers us with its smoky vibe and entrances the audience with its delivery. `It's Alright' states right off that this is a return to the classics, and from start to finish it makes good on that promise, delivering a silky vibe that shimmers and shines. `Didn't I' has more of a modern edge to it, somewhat like `Ghetto', but it manages to bring it all home for me. There is something about Leela's unique voice that makes all her music sound dated (this is a good thing). I don't care for it as strongly as some of the other tracks, `Ghetto' included, but it is a decent track that lives up under multiple listens.

Truth be told, the album closes with its strongest material. `Prayer' is a beautiful and inspirational song that not only possesses a vibe effortless and commanding but has a message that stands strong and universal. Leela delivers every word as if they had a personal attachment to her soul, and this of course makes for emotionally invested listening. The closing track says it all; an album like this has surely been a `Long Time Coming'. This track is infectious and funky and effortlessly captivating. It's in your face from beginning to end and we are truly thankful for that. As wonderful as these two tracks are though, there is nothing on this album that compares to Leela's masterful take on Sam Cooke's `A Change is Gonna Come'. This track defines what Leela is all about, and she does this song so much justice, so much justice. The beautiful elegance in her voice elevates the magic of this song, the message in her words and the serenity of the musical arrangement. This could have easily gone wrong and stained her image, but she nails it in every possible way and only further proves the need for artists like Leela.

In the end there is no doubt in my mind that `A Change is Gonna Come' is an essential album for any and everyone's music collection. It is virtually flawless, delivering a fresh voice that is surely going to take your ears by storm. Leela has what it takes to become a star, and with a debut this strong there is no doubt in my mind that she will become legend in her due time.

I found out about Ms James from amazon, after reading reviews, and listening to snippets. After purchasing her album, I've yet to stop listening. I'm not really understanding how she is not a household name, when people like ___________ (I'm not going to say her name THIS time lol) are free to ruin the good name of music.

A change is gonna come is good from start to finish. (The exception being Good Time, which I find unbearable) She also could have done without wyclef in the song 'Ghetto', really. I'm not sure why artists think they NEED a cameo by a rapper to make their albums. Why ? To make it more commercial ? (Think Chrisette Michele feat. Will.I.Am 'Be O.K.' ..... If anything he took away from that song, as does WHYclef here)

She makes a Solid debut, and Honestly I hope despite the closed ears and minds of the music industry today, this is NOT the last time I hear from Ms. James.

It might be a little late to be just reviewing Leela James' album, but as they say, better late then never. I was first introduced to Ms. James as a VH1 You Oughta Know (or was it still Inside Track back then?) artist, and after listening to A Change Is Gonna Come, I'm sure glad I was.

Even though the subject matter of "Music" is starting to get played out, I don't understand why most of the reviewers don't seem to like that song. But it IS true that the rest of the songs are a lot better than that. "Good Time" and "Rain" are just plain funky, while "Soul Food" is very satisfying. And if you think you'll already know what "Mistreating Me" is about, just listen to the song and you'll find some very interesting lyrics. Kanye West also drops in to produce two back-to-back gems that compliment each other: "It's Alright" and "Didn't I".

I don't know if I'll do like another reviewer and put Leela in the same league as Otis Redding and Aretha Franklin (although she does a damn good job with her rendition of Sam Cooke's title track); speaking of remakes, her cover of No Doubt's "Don't Speak" is also quality. But that leads me to another point. As reviewer E. Sims says, Leela's singing voice sounds a little too much like Joss Stone's, and the thing about that is, well, not to be cruel, but it's like this: when a white artist sings "black" music in a soulful voice, it's invigorating. When it's the other way around, it's a little odd. In other words, Leela sounds like a white person singing like a black person, which might not sit right with everyone.

But that doesn't really bother me, and it's also not the reason why I knocked half a star off my rating; the reason IS because the Wyclef-assisted "Ghetto" completely throws everything off. But A Change Is Gonna Come still proves that Leela James deserves much more attention than she's getting, so help her get some by picking this up.

Anthony Rupert

This CD represents a return to soul music for me. Leela's raw talent and the talent of the band did it for me. I'm hooked!!

couldn't disagree more with DKW. 3 of the 6 are gr8 and the others are good. he's right about these mixes not being peak hour hi-nrg thump thump. if you like funky, soulful, groove you'll like at least one of these mixes. if you actually listen to the lyrics you might understand where these guys were coming from in the remixes. and to miss leela james, some of us white folks "count on music" too. thanks for this beautiful piece.

There really hasn't been all that much great in music the past few years. One area that has been highly overshadowed is the field of Soul. For a newcomer like Leela James who has the essence of Soul, it is very hard to get into these days, and showcase a talented voice. Nevertheless, she absolutely pulls it off quite nicely. Her debut single, Music happens to be a very gritty and soulful R&B song, that talks about what is really missing everyday, and that is classic music. This is really one of my favorite songs out there right now. It is just a great track from a new and fresh singer.

Song: B

Some well-known remixers got their hands on this track, so I bought it expecting at LEAST 3 strong club tracks. What I got was a majority of boring, uninspired soft house mixes! Clearly by some of the names of the remixes, it seems most remixers were going for a "retro" house feel from the very early 90s. Yawn! Part of the problem may be the lack of catchiness to the main melody of the song, particularly the lackluster chorus. Here's the breakdown:

1. Morel's Pink Noise Mix (6:15) (a dark and sort of funky mix that almost catches your interest, but never quite grabs you)
2. Dave Hernandez Club mix (7:14) (horribly boring light house with washed out vocals)
3. Simon Aston remix (5:39) (another light house mix, with a funkier bassline)
4. Eddie Baez bring it back mix (6:45) (This is the most disappointing Eddie Baez mix I've ever heard. Known for his throbbing harder than life house mixes, here, he gives us soft house mix that even has a horrible organ solo near the end)
5. LEX back to house mix (8:49) (lately, LEX has been doing some strong mixes for the likes of Vivian Green, but opts for a soft piano house mix here)
6. RJD2 remix (4:14) (this mix is a slow jam)

couldn't disagree more with DKW. 3 of the 6 are gr8 and the others are good. he's right about these mixes not being peak hour hi-nrg thump thump. if you like funky, soulful, groove you'll like at least one of these mixes. if you actually listen to the lyrics you might understand where these guys were coming from in the remixes. and to miss leela james, some of us white folks "count on music" too. thanks for this beautiful piece.

There really hasn't been all that much great in music the past few years. One area that has been highly overshadowed is the field of Soul. For a newcomer like Leela James who has the essence of Soul, it is very hard to get into these days, and showcase a talented voice. Nevertheless, she absolutely pulls it off quite nicely. Her debut single, Music happens to be a very gritty and soulful R&B song, that talks about what is really missing everyday, and that is classic music. This is really one of my favorite songs out there right now. It is just a great track from a new and fresh singer.

Song: B

Some well-known remixers got their hands on this track, so I bought it expecting at LEAST 3 strong club tracks. What I got was a majority of boring, uninspired soft house mixes! Clearly by some of the names of the remixes, it seems most remixers were going for a "retro" house feel from the very early 90s. Yawn! Part of the problem may be the lack of catchiness to the main melody of the song, particularly the lackluster chorus. Here's the breakdown:

1. Morel's Pink Noise Mix (6:15) (a dark and sort of funky mix that almost catches your interest, but never quite grabs you)
2. Dave Hernandez Club mix (7:14) (horribly boring light house with washed out vocals)
3. Simon Aston remix (5:39) (another light house mix, with a funkier bassline)
4. Eddie Baez bring it back mix (6:45) (This is the most disappointing Eddie Baez mix I've ever heard. Known for his throbbing harder than life house mixes, here, he gives us soft house mix that even has a horrible organ solo near the end)
5. LEX back to house mix (8:49) (lately, LEX has been doing some strong mixes for the likes of Vivian Green, but opts for a soft piano house mix here)
6. RJD2 remix (4:14) (this mix is a slow jam)