I will attempt to keep this as unbiased as possible, but my utmost support for Ms Lea Michele may just creep in there somewhere, for which I make no apologies. I'm just so glad to finally see Lea's self-expression in the open.
I was so excited when my email came through telling me that Louder was finally ready to download, I've only been waiting to hear all the songs together for months!
I must admit I was hesitant about the album after Cannonball was released. Though the song is fantastically written by Sia, I felt as though Lea was pushing a little too hard and though her strength shone, her voice felt too forced. However, I was glad to hear from all the other songs that our Broadway baby's musical theatre voice is versatile enough to handle the pop-upbeat, the soft ballad and every other brilliant song on the album.
The thing about Lea Michele is that she has a very distinctive voice. Like Adele or Jessie J, you can put a Lea Michele track on and immediately know it is her singing. The songs are strong but don't overpower her voice; she has the right blend of strength and nuances that make her songs inarguably Lea Michele.
What I like is that every song is different and every song has a message and a universal thing that I can relate to. Where Cannonball is about Lea's strength following Cory's death, for me, I see myself standing strong after a heartbreak and holding my head high amongst the pain. I think one of my favourite songs is Cue The Rain, which speaks about a past relationship, and I think every girl can see herself in it, and in Battlefield and in You're Mine.
Though we know that certain songs are attributed to the wonderful, late Cory Monteith, the power of the writing means that we can appreciate the dedication for him and see our own selves and stories within the songs.
I love the little nuances in the songs. For example, I love when Lea's voice breaks slightly in Battlefield indicating the pain of heartbreak of which she sings. I love that in You're Mine you can hear on the hard 'm' sound the smile in Lea's voice as she evidently thinks of Cory.
It's a fantastic album, which highlights Lea Michele's wonderful vocals and the talents of writers like Sia and Christina Perri, who seem to blend perfectly with Michele's gift. I think Lea should be incredibly proud of her achievements with this album, and I think it would be a disgrace for the media to tar her album with negativity associated with Monteith's death, such as those awful people who claim this album is the result of 'milking publicity' after her loss.
It is no such thing and I stand by that. If you listen to these songs you will hear elements of Cory, but ultimately this is a year and a half of incredibly hard work by Lea Michele and the praise should go to her. Congratulations Lea, you are truly a star and I, for one, cannot wait to hear what you bring us next.
Louder is now available on iTunes.
Standout tracks: Cue the Rain, You're Mine, If You Say So, Burn with You
