Album review : LEAH MARTIN-BROWN – Love & Other Crimes

October 24th, 2025 by brianmc

Frontiers Music [Release date 24.10.25]

Australian born, but now resident in Europe via the USA, amazingly gifted singer Leah Martin-Brown releases her debut album on Frontiers Music this month.

She’s got a lot going for her before we hear a note… she’s managed by Jens (Tony Harnell/ James LaBrie/ Malmsteen) Lundberg, and produced by Mutt Lange, Tony Denander and Tony Nilsson.

The only question is “Can it sustain itself under the weight of expectation?”

Openers ‘X’ and ‘R U Chicken’ take no prisoners and ask for no mercy. The first expands from a slinky slice of Eurythmics’ soulful synth pop to a widescreen female rap, before settling into a hooky pop groove.

A bold beginning.

The second is a blast from beginning to end.

By taking one part Def Leppard/ Mutt’s ‘Pour Some Sugar On Me’; then adding one part ‘I Love Rock’n’Roll’ … the music of Joan Jett, another tough, confident rock star, LMB’s earthy delivery turns the song into something Shania Twain might have propelled into the US charts.

Each song is a lightning strike that lights up the album.

‘Levitate’ is special. Its 3 dimensional electronic pop peaks with a pulse quickening hook, sensually intoned by LMB’s breathy vocals. It’s more Max Martin than Mutt Lange and we’re constantly on edge, waiting for it to explode into something louder, faster, but it doesn’t. Neat trick.

The debut single was ‘Boys’, understandably. It’s impossible to ignore the track’s pop metal craftsmanship. Lange’s signature is all over it… the Def Leppard like layers and textures stop short at over production, but give the song enough oomph to send it into orbit.

The debut single ‘Hysterical Love’ is maybe just a bit too derivative. The source influences can only carry you so far.

But then there’s the the pop immediacy of ‘Shush’, and there’s the pop country crossbreed ‘Clooney’, both created in the style of the Shania Twain blueprint (again).

The answer of course is “yes”. ****

Review by Brian McGowan

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