Get Lifted - Legend, John (CD 2004)

Very few artists are marketed perfectly. At times they are over marketed and when they aren't proven to be "the next big thing", they are tagged as a failure and slowly are driven right out of the picture. But there are some who are brought along perfectly. Alicia Keys comes to mind. When Alicia Keys hit the scene with her signature calling, Falling, it was a patient plan. Clive Davis and company knew they had the goods. Keys was attractive, could play the piano, had a great voice, and was New York. The fellas were attracted to her, but also wanted to hang out with her. She had that type of appeal. I read about her in Vibe magazine and the article focused on her musicianship and also that she was raised by a single mother. She came off as both street smart and well, just smart. And then when you heard her sing, you just called all your friends and told them who to look out for.

While John Legend's rise wasn't the same, I think there are a few parallels that you can draw from. Legend himself is also a musician rather than just a singer. He has helped Kanye West produce some really good songs. When I say help, I don't mean he goes with West digging in crates or anything, but West utilizes Legend on piano, and in singing hooks for some of his past works. The similarity between he and Keys is that they were marketed not as Top 40 darlings, but as singers/musicians with talent. John Legend didn't need to be dressed up in suits, or dressed down in baggy jeans and fake chains. He simply came out and said, I can sing, I can play. And he wasn't rushed.

Used To Love You was the jumpoff. While it isn't the best song on his debut, it immediately was accepted by radio. I didn't initially bite because I figured any song that utilized "holla, holla, holla" couldn't be any good. But it showed off his voice and was a fun enough song to make you interested in what else he had in store. And with sarcastic opening lines that seem somewhat biographical, you just had to like it.

Baby, it's me... maybe I bore you
No, no it's my fault cause I can't afford you
Maybe baby Puffy, Jay-Z
Could all be better for you
Cause all I could do was love you

And while Legend has more not so serious love songs, mostly dealing with cheating like the sassy She Don't Have To Know, the gem of this set is the everyday people relationship song, Ordinary People. I've had people tell me that they feel that song because of what they've been going through in their relationship and when I ask them exactly what they're going through, it's always different. It hits on so many levels. Most relationships I've seen don't deal with cheating spouses. They deal with real life communication gaps, and this song expertly deals with it. Throw in his beautiful singing, and the slow and dramatic piano playing, and you might have the song of the year as far as I'm concerned.

He changes his voice a little to sound like some old 10 pack a day bar singer for Stay With You which makes you think of your grandparents when he talks about "being lovers for a lifetime". There's an "old soul" feeling from Legend that you get. You feel that he's lived a little.

But it's not all love and slow jams. He does still have a little fun. Take out the Kanye West rap and Number One would've had a chance to be a successful single. While it's so silly from a lyrical standpoint as he tells his girl that he must love her a lot because of all the things he does to hide his mistress from her, Legend's charm is irresistible. That is until Kanye messes it up. I have no problem with Kanye trying to be funny, but what he basically does here is have a one on one chat with his pillypacker. I'm not joking. There's charming and silly, and then there's straight dumb. While I'll give West a mulligan for his performance, it bothers me that he ruined the song.

Legend's next trick might be worthy of purchasing the album alone. I Can Change makes Snoop Dogg almost a functional rapper again. Snoop Dogg blesses the song with some of his best words in a very long time. But I don't think Sam Cooke really said, "change gon' come nephew". But we'll forgive him.

Even Legend's lesser songs make you feel good like Refuge (When It's Cold Outside) and the tuba influenced Alright. If I can be negative about this album, and more so Legend, it's that his material may not be all that mature, but the dude is young, and as you can tell with Ordinary People, he can be grown folk when he needs to be.

Though this album was released right at the tail end of 2004, I think it's one of the best albums I've heard all year, and would be my choice for album of the half year 2005.