LEONA LEWIS
Spirit (J/SyCo Music): C+
Simon Cowell really likes her. So does Clive Davis. Winner of the UK’s “X Factor” TV show, Lewis’ debut arrives with the backing of its executive producers, “American Idol” judge (and “X Factor” creator) Cowell and J Records head Davis. And, yes, the 22-year-old Lewis has an outstanding voice. But as excited as Cowell says he is about the young singer, we’d be a lot less bored if “Spirit” lived up to its title. The American version, which includes updated tracks from hot producers and a series of “oh-ohs!” from Akon, spends much of its time in an adult contemporary netherworld, as Lewis sings about love while phoning in the requisite emotional tone. No one’s asking for Madonna-worthy rebellion or Aretha Franklin gut-wrenching soul, but more spirit would help. Download: “Better in Time.”
