Leon Live
Childhood EP
Summertime Records
Released: 2008
Leon Live is a singer/songwriter from Wales. Nothing unusual about that. He even plays all the instruments on this five track EP as well. Not exactly uncommon. So what is special about him, I hear you say? He seems real, that's what, and he manages to get his message across in a natural, unforced yet commercial way.
Sure enough, there is a standard, by-the-numbers rock song in "Blinded" but the rest of the songs seem deeper and, according to the press release, are a lot more personal. "Memoirs of a Dreamer" stands out from the pack. Leon is not the first to use song writing as an emotional catharsis - the subject of the aforementioned song is indeed a painful one - but he knows how to wrap things up in appealing and memorable melodies. Even better, he has the pipes to sell it to us. The leaden drumming (or maybe drum machine programming) tended to annoy me over repeated plays but I did want to play the songs over and over and that's a good thing.
The main plus point of these songs is the honest and straightforward way they are presented. That's refreshing in these days of having your publicist make it all up. I think these five melodic rock songs (well, four of them anyway) bode well for the future of Leon Live and I hope that he gets a break. Unlike so many, I reckon he deserves it.
Bluesbunny
Rating
Leon Live
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