The Reason (Lemar album)
The Reason | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 24 November 2008 | |||
Length | 37:57 | |||
Label | Epic | |||
Producer |
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Lemar chronology | ||||
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Singles from The Reason | ||||
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The Reason is the fourth
Background
Speaking to the UK R&B writer Pete Lewis of Blues & Soul in November 2008, Lemar explained the thinking behind titling his fourth album The Reason: "I called the album The Reason because I wanted it to remind me of the reason why I became a musician in the first place. You know, I think the reason I became a recording artist was because the music I was listening to at the time was inspirational, exciting; it wasn't obvious [...] And that's what I wanted THIS album to be. I wanted to bring out a collection of songs that for me was inspiring, was thought-provoking, was current, and that hopefully came with an exciting, eclectic mix of styles."[1]
Promotion
Singles
"If She Knew" was released for download at midnight on 6 November 2008. From two full days of download sales, the single debuted on the
The Reason Tour 2009
Dates
Date | City | Country | Venue |
---|---|---|---|
16 March 2009 | Carlisle | England | Carlisle Sands Centre |
17 March 2009 | Liverpool | Philharmonic Hall
| |
20 March 2009 | Margate | Winter Gardens | |
21 March 2009 | Bournemouth | Bournemouth International Centre | |
23 March 2009 | Brentwood | Brentwood Leisure Centre | |
24 March 2009 | Ipswich | Regent Theatre
| |
25 March 2009 | Preston | Preston Guildhall | |
27 March 2009 | Birmingham | O2 Academy | |
28 March 2009 | Brighton | The Brighton Centre
| |
29 March 2009 | Oxford | New Theatre | |
31 March 2009 | Plymouth | Plymouth Pavilions | |
1 April 2009 | Swindon | Oasis Leisure Centre | |
4 April 2009 | Cardiff | Wales | Cardiff International Arena |
5 April 2009 | Portsmouth | England | Portsmouth Guildhall |
6 April 2009 | Cambridge | Corn Exchange | |
8 April 2009 | Southend-on-Sea | Southend Cliffs Pavilion | |
9 April 2009 | London | Royal Albert Hall | |
10 April 2009 | Nottingham | Nottingham Royal Centre | |
12 April 2009 | Newcastle | Newcastle City Hall | |
13 April 2009 | Sheffield | Sheffield City Hall | |
14 April 2009 | Harrogate | Harrogate International Centre
| |
16 April 2009 | Glasgow | Scotland | Clyde Auditorium
|
17 April 2009 | Manchester | England | Manchester Apollo
|
- Notes
- The concert in Reading was cancelled.
- Concerts after 27 March were supported by British boy band JLS.
Critical reception
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [2] |
The Observer | [3] |
The Times | [4] |
AllMusic editor Jon O'Brien noted that "it's undoubtedly a more concerted effort to halt the worrying career slide [...] But rather than panicking and overloading its ten tracks with processed beats and Hi-NRG trance riffs, The Reason wisely plays it more subtle, bridging the gap between his old-fashioned previous output and a more modern electro-focused sound [...] While [its] lack of originality still leaves Lemar searching for a full body of work that lives up to the standards of his vocal talents, its blend of old school and new school is a marked improvement on his previous vintage soulman routine."[2] Similarly, Priya Elan from The Times wrote: "Lemar proves that he is good enough to compete with his US counterparts (Chris Brown, Ne Yo) [...] There is a problem with the faster songs – too many of them drift by and lack the hooks of the more epic numbers. But that is a minor gripe – all in all The Reason shows Lemar to be one of the best British R&B artists."[4]
Chart performance
The Reason entered the UK Albums Chart at number 41 on the week closing 30 November 2008.[7] This marked Lemar's lowest-charting entry by then.[7]
Track listing
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "The Reason" |
|
| 3:30 |
2. | " Soulshock & Karlin | 4:07 | ||
5. | "Trust Me" |
| Remi | 4:17 |
6. | "Over You" |
|
| 3:46 |
7. | "Mayday" | Obika | Lemar | 3:35 |
8. | "Wait Forever" |
|
| 3:31 |
9. | "Not What You Say" |
|
| 3:16 |
10. | "Black Tide" |
|
| 3:36 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
11. | "Won't Walk Away" | 3:42 |
12. | "Fall Over" | 4:06 |
13. | "Diamonds" | 3:47 |
Charts
Chart (2003) | Peak position |
---|---|
UK Albums (OCC)[7] | 41 |
References
- ^ "Lemar: GRADUATING WITH HONOURS". Blues & Soul. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
- ^ a b O'Brtien, Jon. "Lemar – The Reason". AllMusic. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
- ^ a b Robinson, Peter (8 November 2009). "Urban review: Lemar, The Reason". The Guardian. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
- ^ a b Elan, Priya (22 November 2009). "Lemar: The Reason". The Times. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
- 95.8 Capital FM. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
- Orange. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
- ^ a b c "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 5 January 2023.