Dedicated 2003 Album

Lemar

Lemar, "initially rising to fame after finishing third on the first series of British talent show Fame Academy", is underappreciated. He has a handful of my favourite R&B songs and there is one of those here. It kicks off with 'Dedicated (Intro)' that lets the listener get a feel for his unique vocals before his infectious hit, and my introduction to him, 'Dance (With U)', hits. 'Fresh' follows suit with an upbeat, danceable tune. '50/50' has an engaging hook and is produced by legends, Stargate. 'Another Day' is the song I was alluding to earlier. It's my second most played song on Last.fm. It's a fire ballad. Unfortunately more R&B doesn't take from its play book by including more build-up and variety. From there, while nothing quite reaches the same heights, the overall quality stays solid. Tracks like ‘Let’s Stay Together’ and ‘Lullaby’ showcase the strengths mentioned earlier: the former features a ridiculously catchy hook, while the latter closes with a lovely shift, almost invoking a choir. ‘Hot Summer’ is the closest the album comes to hip hop, with Lemar even flirting with the “N” word before swerving into “jiggaz” instead. He’d go on to craft more consistent albums, but this one is absolutely worth checking out. Best Tracks: Dance (With U) Another Day, Let's Stay Together, Lullaby 1. Dedicated (Intro) 2. Dance (With U) 90 3. Fresh 64 4. 50/50 70 5. Another Day 100 6. Sweet Love 63 7. No Pressure 67 8. Body Talk 50 9. What About Love? 60 10. Good Woman 70 11. Let's Stay Together 83 12. Hot Summer 64 13. Alright with Our Love 74 14. Lullaby 83 15. All I Ever Do (My Boo) 54