Spring Break
CD Review
Legend blends styles to create unique sound
Cindy Richards
Issue date: 11/10/06 Section: Diversions
Never have I purchased a CD and actually liked every song.
John Legend, a present day R&B singer and pianist, blends classic and modern music and vocals to create a fresh, unique sound on his sophomore album "Once Again."
While Legend may be a new name as a solo artist, he has worked with the likes of Lauryn Hill, Alicia Keys, and Will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas, lending his voice or playing the piano.
Legend, the first artist signed to Kanye West's Getting Out Our Dreams (G.O.O.D.) Entertainment, co-wrote and co-produced the album alongside West.
Lyrics like "Let's go to the park/ I wanna kiss you underneath the stars/ Maybe we'll go too far/ We just don't care," ("P.D.A") set the right mood for, well … you know.
Love is a recurring theme on the album, though Legend hit all ends of the spectrum from finding love, to losing love, to making love. Even the love-bitter, "I wear black on Valentine's Day" person can find something to relate to.
Though love, sex and relationships are prevalent, Legend made sure to include a few different songs including a song about war.
Given current events, war lyrics are not hard to come across, yet "Coming Home" offers soft, simple lyrics and melancholy vocals other songs lack: "We fight to stay alive/ But somebody's got to die/ It's so strange to me/ A new year, a new enemy/Another soldier gone to war/ Another story told before."
Legend's one-of-a-kind music can only be described as Kanye West meets Frank Sinatra.
"Stereo," one of my favorite songs, is reminiscent of Michael Jackson's "Dirty Diana." Both songs are about women obsessed with a singer's fame: "Her favorite colors be platinum and gold/ she only loves in stereo/ I should know 'cause I've seen it before/ I think I've got to let her go." I can't say I blame the girl, with a voice like his, I'd let him serenade me.
For his breakthrough album, "Get Lifted," Legend was nominated for eight Grammys and won "Best New Artist," "Best R&B Vocal Performance," and "Best R&B album." "Once Again" debuted at number three on the Billboard 200, and more than doubled the sales of the first record, already promising a good year for Legend.
Songs such as the first single "Save Room," and "Heaven" offer the sounds of another generation making the album a good choice for any age.
Every song's lyrics are so catchy, after just a couple listens one can sing along. This is the first CD I've ever purchased that I haven't had to skip a few tracks, every song is as good as the one before it.
Grade: A
John Legend, a present day R&B singer and pianist, blends classic and modern music and vocals to create a fresh, unique sound on his sophomore album "Once Again."
While Legend may be a new name as a solo artist, he has worked with the likes of Lauryn Hill, Alicia Keys, and Will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas, lending his voice or playing the piano.
Legend, the first artist signed to Kanye West's Getting Out Our Dreams (G.O.O.D.) Entertainment, co-wrote and co-produced the album alongside West.
Lyrics like "Let's go to the park/ I wanna kiss you underneath the stars/ Maybe we'll go too far/ We just don't care," ("P.D.A") set the right mood for, well … you know.
Love is a recurring theme on the album, though Legend hit all ends of the spectrum from finding love, to losing love, to making love. Even the love-bitter, "I wear black on Valentine's Day" person can find something to relate to.
Though love, sex and relationships are prevalent, Legend made sure to include a few different songs including a song about war.
Given current events, war lyrics are not hard to come across, yet "Coming Home" offers soft, simple lyrics and melancholy vocals other songs lack: "We fight to stay alive/ But somebody's got to die/ It's so strange to me/ A new year, a new enemy/Another soldier gone to war/ Another story told before."
Legend's one-of-a-kind music can only be described as Kanye West meets Frank Sinatra.
"Stereo," one of my favorite songs, is reminiscent of Michael Jackson's "Dirty Diana." Both songs are about women obsessed with a singer's fame: "Her favorite colors be platinum and gold/ she only loves in stereo/ I should know 'cause I've seen it before/ I think I've got to let her go." I can't say I blame the girl, with a voice like his, I'd let him serenade me.
For his breakthrough album, "Get Lifted," Legend was nominated for eight Grammys and won "Best New Artist," "Best R&B Vocal Performance," and "Best R&B album." "Once Again" debuted at number three on the Billboard 200, and more than doubled the sales of the first record, already promising a good year for Legend.
Songs such as the first single "Save Room," and "Heaven" offer the sounds of another generation making the album a good choice for any age.
Every song's lyrics are so catchy, after just a couple listens one can sing along. This is the first CD I've ever purchased that I haven't had to skip a few tracks, every song is as good as the one before it.
Grade: A
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