Lemar Obika must be thanking his lucky stars he only came third on Fame Academy. Instead of being railroaded into tacky cover versions and novelty Rat Pack albums, the north Londoner has actually been given time to develop his own style - and on Time To Grow, he's come up with something very close to a modern soul classic. Lemar may be smooth but he's certainly not bland, and there are songs here dealing with such grown-up themes as adultery, miscarriage and the dangers of teenage sex. And yet, his dulcet tones are so relaxing that listening to this album is like lowering yourself into a warm bath. The crowning glory is a cover of the Darkness's 'I Believe in a Thing Called Love' sung in the style of Marvin Gaye, which shouldn't really work but does - brilliantly. A bit like Lemar's career, really.
