Shepherded by the likes of Clive Davis and Simon Cowell, British songbird Leona Lewis’ debut album Spirit is one of the biggest hits of the year in Britain, and should come close to matching that success in the States. The stellar ballad “Yesterday,” penned by Ne-Yo is a standout. Lewis’ style is perfect for the Roberta Flack classic “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face,” and her hushed coo is well suited to the material. With help from hitmaker Akon, Spirit should be the latest in a long line of brilliant R&B albums from the UK. -dusty culpepper

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