Spring Break
Legend shows promise, little evolution on Evolver
Erin Shea
Issue date: 10/29/08 Section: Entertainment
10/29/08 - Despite what the title of his latest album suggests, John Legend hasn't done much evolving this time around, or at least not any that's for the better.
Legend certainly didn't produce a bad album, but he doesn't fit with his new sound. The tracks where he shines on Evolver are the slow, sweet ballads that have become his trademark.
Yes, the ballads on Evolver are so cheesy that I cringed on the first listen. No, the lyrics aren't particularly groundbreaking or poignant. You probably won't even remember the lyrics a year from now, to be honest. But what you will remember is Legend's smooth voice and impassioned delivery. That's what saves Evolver from being thrown to the bottom of the R&B heap.
Legend, unfortunately, doesn't make as much of an impact with his other songs. This becomes abundantly clear on songs featuring other artists. The artists featured - Andre 3000 of Outkast on "Green Light" and Kanye West on "It's Over"- are undeniably talented, and it's a sign of Legend's own talent that he was able to get them to collaborate with him, but it's their talent that ultimately dooms him.
No artist wants to be upstaged on his own album, and that's exactly what Legend allows to happen.
It's evident that West and Andre 3000 are far more comfortable with the style of the aforementioned songs than Legend is, a blunder that makes the tracks awkward to listen to. Not only does Legend's smooth voice not fit with the quirkiness of the songs but his confidence seems to be lacking as well. His presence in the songs is much less acutely felt than it is in his ballads.
Legend is strictly smooth, adult-contemporary style R&B. From his classic style and presence to his fluid, graceful voice, he screams that style's stereotype. That's not a bad thing, but he needs to change that if he wants to truly pursue this new musical direction.
Right now, guests like Brandy, who sings with Legend on "Quickly," make for much better collaborators. Legend is much more appealing harmonizing with Brandy than when he is awkwardly trading off verses with West or Andre 3000.
The true highlight of the album though, is closer, "If You're Out There," which presidential hopeful Barack Obama has frequently played on the campaign trail. Like the rest of the songs on Evolver it is very by-the-book, but that is part of its appeal.
Just try to listen to it and not get caught up in Legend's enthusiasm or the predictable but satisfying swell of strings as the choir joins him in the song's chorus.
The timely song is a nice departure from the barrage of love and relationship songs that fill the rest of the album and it's this side of himself that Legend should have shown on Evolver if he really wanted to make the impact his talent suggests he is capable of.
Legend certainly didn't produce a bad album, but he doesn't fit with his new sound. The tracks where he shines on Evolver are the slow, sweet ballads that have become his trademark.
Yes, the ballads on Evolver are so cheesy that I cringed on the first listen. No, the lyrics aren't particularly groundbreaking or poignant. You probably won't even remember the lyrics a year from now, to be honest. But what you will remember is Legend's smooth voice and impassioned delivery. That's what saves Evolver from being thrown to the bottom of the R&B heap.
Legend, unfortunately, doesn't make as much of an impact with his other songs. This becomes abundantly clear on songs featuring other artists. The artists featured - Andre 3000 of Outkast on "Green Light" and Kanye West on "It's Over"- are undeniably talented, and it's a sign of Legend's own talent that he was able to get them to collaborate with him, but it's their talent that ultimately dooms him.
No artist wants to be upstaged on his own album, and that's exactly what Legend allows to happen.
It's evident that West and Andre 3000 are far more comfortable with the style of the aforementioned songs than Legend is, a blunder that makes the tracks awkward to listen to. Not only does Legend's smooth voice not fit with the quirkiness of the songs but his confidence seems to be lacking as well. His presence in the songs is much less acutely felt than it is in his ballads.
Legend is strictly smooth, adult-contemporary style R&B. From his classic style and presence to his fluid, graceful voice, he screams that style's stereotype. That's not a bad thing, but he needs to change that if he wants to truly pursue this new musical direction.
Right now, guests like Brandy, who sings with Legend on "Quickly," make for much better collaborators. Legend is much more appealing harmonizing with Brandy than when he is awkwardly trading off verses with West or Andre 3000.
The true highlight of the album though, is closer, "If You're Out There," which presidential hopeful Barack Obama has frequently played on the campaign trail. Like the rest of the songs on Evolver it is very by-the-book, but that is part of its appeal.
Just try to listen to it and not get caught up in Legend's enthusiasm or the predictable but satisfying swell of strings as the choir joins him in the song's chorus.
The timely song is a nice departure from the barrage of love and relationship songs that fill the rest of the album and it's this side of himself that Legend should have shown on Evolver if he really wanted to make the impact his talent suggests he is capable of.
