to deliver a clutch of songs." Peter Robinson from The Observer called the album an "enjoyably addictive listen" that is at "best when [Lemar] grasps the electronic R&B coat tails of US stars like Ne-Yo and Chris Brown." 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." 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." Chart performance The Reason entered the UK Albums Chart at number 41 on the week closing 30 November 2008. This marked Lemar's lowest-charting entry by then. Track listing Charts References External links Lemar interview by Pete Lewis, 'Blues & Soul' December 2008 2008 albums Lemar albums Albums produced by Jim Jonsin