On his solo debut, I'll Cover You,
Telly Leung covered some of his favorite songs by pop singers like
Madonna and
the Beatles, as well as some of his beloved Broadway favorites. His sophomore follow-up,
Songs for You, brings much of the same wide-eyed earnestness to a new selection of his favorites. His renditions of mainstream pop hits by
Des'ree ("You Gotta Be"),
Michael Jackson ("Human Nature"),
Rusted Root ("Send Me on My Way"), and
John Denver ("Leaving on a Jet Plane") are precious and YouTube-ready for fans of covers. However, his voice works best on the show tunes, songs built for the type of bombast and dramatics that his delivery can carry. Standouts like "Dreamscape" (from
Stephen Schwartz's Godspell), "Being Alive" (from
Sondheim's Company), and "Second Chances" (from Allegiance, which
Leung co-stars in with George Takei and
Lea Salonga) soar above the rest, showcasing his vocal talents nicely. Recorded as both homage and interpretation,
Songs for You will touch fans of stage and theater. ~ Neil Z. Yeung