Blake Lewis Album: “Heartbreak on Vinyl”

"Heartbreak On Vinyl" is not too different from Blake's first album, which is a good thing, because that one was awesome. I would call this one an up-to-the-minute mainstream album. So far, it doesn't seem to be doing too well on the Billboard album chart, and I don't understand why. Blake's voice is as good as ever: compelling, smooth, versatile. And the music is very Now, mostly an excellent blend of dance/disco, synth-pop, electronica and hip-hop. The title song is one of the best, with clever lyrics about vinyl LP's and a record store, both of which reflect events in his love life; and "Binary Love" is similar in sound and in use of word-play. With "Freak", we move into Timbaland territory musically, with Blake's verbal invitation to "move your body like a freak". In "Sad Song" he sings with a trace of a British accent, always a turn-on for me. "Left My Baby For You" has him using a little falsetto, a nice departure, not overdone. The brief "Super.....licious" is notable for beat-box vocals and cool, modern jazz piano. "Our Rapture Of Love" is a little slower (but not soft!) and romantic, musically echoing Til Tuesday's 1986 hit "Voices Carry". "The Point" is sort of an electronic piano ballad which showcases Blake's vocal range. Don't worry, the action picks up again on the final 2 tracks, especially "Love Or Torture": "Please don't stop/I wanna taste of what you got/I wanna know what gets you hot."

If you like Madonna, Justin T, Britney, Gwen Stefani, or even 80's dance music (Pet Shop Boys, for instance), you would probably like this. The important thing for this type of music is staying in the charismatic groove, which Blake Lewis does very well. In the end, the best compliment I can give this CD is that IT MAKES ME FEEL HAPPY!

I was a little disappointed with

, Blake's first release. Blake is extremely talented--good voice, excellent musicianship and a lot of creativity. So, the expectations are really high for him. I actually thought twice about buying Heartbreak on Vinyl, but decided to anyway. I'm glad I did. Blake has many possible niches, and dance music is clearly one of them. He exploits the genre like Madonna exploits hair color--he tries many different nuances. Needless to say, all of the arrangements are impeccable and catchy. My favourite songs are Heatbreak on Vinyl, Our Rapture of Love, Binary Love, The Point, and Sad Song. The only one I could have done without is Superscratchalicious... I love the beatboxing, but I'm not sure that one minute of beatboxing for the sake of beatboxing is something I have figured out. However, the location of this song is reminiscent of the time when albums were on two sides on vinyl--artists frequently had to find something to end side A and to start side B. On that note, it works. Blake's knowledge of dance music is also evident. He incorporates elements of recent arrangements of dance classics into Afraid, Binary Love, Freak, and a few others, to create an effect of fitting in and at the same time standing out with his unique gifts. Needless to say, I love this album. I had been crying the blues since most albums had been a let down to me this year. In particular, I was devastated by the Pet Shop Boys and their very weak

album. They steered cleared from dance music and left a void that has been more than filled by Blake. I hope he has more like this.

LOVE this CD! From start to finish! It will have you dancing, even if your just driving in the car! Much progress from Audio Day Dream, so different, but in a good way! This album is one of the best albums I've ever heard!

He beatboxes less on this album, but it's even more amazing than his first album! He proved he can do much more than beatboxing with this! His voice also sounds more mature and sexy on this record. For fans of his beatboxing, he does have hints of beatboxing in about all of the songs. Track 8 is simply pure amazing beatboxing and vocal scratching.

I believe that whether you loved or even hated his first album, "Audio Day Dream", you'll be sure to love this one! "Heartbreak On Vinyl" is worth every dollar you could ever pay for it!

Blake's sophmore record is fantastic. Every song is worth listening to. Binary Love and Sad Song are my favorite songs at the moment. This is one of the best records ever released by a former Idol contestant. I can see this record climbing the Dance Music charts. Listen to the samples then buy it! You won't be sorry!

**Originally posted on "#1 Hits From Another Planet" - 10/8/09**

Might it be the best Idol record yet? If it isn't, it's certainly up there. I was not expecting on writing a review for this album, but I'm quite taken with it... far more than I would have thought.

1. Heartbreak On Vinyl - Here, on one song, Blake makes up for everything that went wrong with the last album. At once an epic dancepop anthem, a slyly politic rant on the state of independent record stores, and a wistful story-song, this track has everything. Very impressive. 10/10

2. Binary Love - Borrowing a page from David Guetta's book, this track features an aggressive techno-dance beat (one of the best on the album) and a robotic chorus that becomes more and more addictive by the second. 10/10

3. Freak - This dance track's fantastic verses are let down somewhat by a chorus that's a bit repetitive, but it fits nicely with the previous songs and is one of the better dance tracks on the album. 9/10

4. Sad Song - The first single, and actually one of the more underwhelming uptempos on the album. The song itself is great, but the problem I think comes in the mixing. The vocals and melody don't seem to mesh with the music as well as they should. 8/10

5. Rhythm Of My Heart - A slightly poppier song, this sounds much more mainstream than other tracks, though the bucketful of hooks ensures that every piece is worth listening to. 9/10

6. Afraid - Another more mainstream, modern electro/r&b midtempo. It sounds very Timbaland although it's produced by Rodney Jerkins (one of the biggest names on the record). Good, but a little generic compared to the rest of the material. 7/10

7. Left My Baby For You - Another absolute triumph, and tied for best song on the album. In some ways it sounds similar to Black Eyed Peas' monster hit I Gotta Feeling, though it's a million times better. A feel-good, summery pop hit with a ridiculous amount of hooks, great falsetto and one hell of a beat. Essential. 10/10

8. Rebel Without A Cause - The verses here are the best part of the song. It's got a very Police/Sting feel to it, if the Police/Sting went electronic. It's an interesting track, and a real grower. 9/10

9. SuperScratchaVocalisticTurnatableLicious - A minute-long interlude that serves no purpose other than to remind us that Blake is a beatboxer. I don't grade interludes, though this one isn't overly annoying nor overly necessary.

10. Come On Be Good - I love the melody of this, especially the bridge and the chorus. It sounds like something I've heard before, though I can't put my finger on it. Another uptempo. Very good. 9/10

11. Our Rapture Of Love - The first slow track on the album, and the weaker of the two. It's still quite nice, though. Blake's vocals sound brilliant on this album, and no more so than here. 8/10

12. The Point - A more interesting (melodically and lyrically), and seemingly more personal ballad. The vocals are especially nice, as is the melody. It would have been a perfect album closer. 9/10

13. The Remedy - This has got perhaps the catchiest and poppiest bridge on the entire album. It's back to straight-up pop music here, and this would be an excellent single choice because it's impossible not to like. 10/10

14. Love Or Torture (Please Don't Stop) - Another big dance track to end the album, this one has a bit of a garage sound. It's very nice, and very catchy, though it's not my favorite uptempo on the album. 8/10

Album Grade: 8.9/10