Avg Rating: 
4.7 ( 12 total votes )
Full disclosure: I’m a John Legend fan. First of all, I admire anyone with the balls to change his name from John Stephens to John Legend. Well done Mr. Legend, well done. Second, Legend’s debut album Get Lifted was an emotionally honest and musically gifted work that not only garnered the smooth singer a Grammy, but more prestigiously, earned Legend regular rotation in my speakers – particularly when I’m entertaining a special lady friend. Before I go any further, I need to ask an essential question. Why John Legend? What is it about Legend that … ...Read the full album review
Fans can also check out John Legend's previous albums: John Legend & The Roots - Wake Up
DJBooth Album Review
Full disclosure: I’m a John Legend fan. First of all, I admire anyone with the balls to change his name from John Stephens to John Legend. Well done Mr. Legend, well done. Second, Legend’s debut album Get Lifted was an emotionally honest and musically gifted work that not only garnered the smooth singer a Grammy, but more prestigiously, earned Legend regular rotation in my speakers – particularly when I’m entertaining a special lady friend.
Before I go any further, I need to ask an essential question. Why John Legend? What is it about Legend that lifts him above the huddled masses of ordinary singers? Simply put, he makes you feel good. I don’t mean that in a clichéd, romantic way. No, I’m talking about “sleeping late on Sunday morning” feeling good. “That girl you’ve been asking out for months finally saying yes” feeling good. It’s a more ordinary and more profound feeling, which is fitting because Legend makes extraordinary music for ordinary people. So when I opened Legend’s new album, the surprisingly energetic Evolver, I was ready to judge it by one basic measure. How good did it make me - and the special lady friend - feel?
If Legend’s indeed evolved, it’s because he’s added some more party-ready tracks to his musical arsenal. There’s no better example than Green Light, by far the most club-friendly track of his career. Green Light isn’t actually that groundbreaking for Legend, he uses the same smooth vocals and spare melodies as his ballads, the main difference being the addition of a banging rhythm line and electronically echoing synths. Andre 3000 may describe it best during his insanely dope guest verse, saying of Legend, “Even Stevie Wonder got down sometimes.” It’s Legend on speed (figuratively speaking), and while he’s not likely to make a habit of it, Green Light proves that Legend can jet out of slow motion when necessary. Similarly up-tempo is It’s Over, a bouncing track that adds a funk flavor to form one of the better break-up songs in memory, especially with a punch line heavy verse from Kanye (“News flash shorty it’s over, we like Def Jam and Hova”), who’s apparently so addicted to auto-tune he’s going to have to enter rehab. Ne-Yo doesn’t exactly have anything to fear, but on Evolver, Legend shows he’s got a few radio hit tricks up his sleeve.
Never fear slow jam lovers, Evolver has plenty of Legend’s trademark piano-laced ballads too. He may never so perfectly strike that perfect balance between pain and love again as he did on Ordinary People, but This Time comes close. This Time’s stripped down production lets Legend’s captivating voice carry his tale of regret and second chances to powerful effect. Legend doesn’t engage in vocal gymnastics on This Time, he simply hits his note and holds it, and it’s that simplicity that makes his voice so strong. By contrast If You’re Out There, Legend’s political and social anthem, doesn’t hit nearly as close to the heart. It’s an admirable song in the midst of a crucial election, but in contract to his more personal songs it feels heavy, weighed down by his lofty goals for the song. Personally I’ll take a track like Cross The Line, Legend’s smoothed-out plea to turn a friend to a lover, over If You’re Out There any day, and if that makes me shallow than I’m prepared to be shallow, as long as I can get deep in between the sheets.
Breaking down Evolver into such simple “dance tracks and ballads” categories is ultimately far too simplistic for the far ranging Evolver. Just take No Other Love, an authentically mellow reggae track featuring the always charismatic Estelle, or I Love, You Love, a guitar-tinged track that would be at home in a smoky blues club. Both employ Legend’s trademark style but in new ways that defy easy musical stereotypes. The end result is an album that should win Legend some new fans, while still giving his core fans plenty to love. It’s not an easy feat to pull off, but by subtly evolving instead of pushing to become something he’s not, Legend pulls it off nicely. Listen, Evolver isn’t a classic album, but if you let it, I guarantee it will have you feeling good. I’m talking “waking up next to that girl who finally said yes to a date “ feeling good.
Listen to More: John Legend Written by Nathan S.
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Member Reviews and Ratings
Average Member Rating: Total Ratings: 12
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Tastemaker  Total Ratings: 476 |
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Legend is the most musically gifted artist in R&B music today. I have enjoyed all 3 major label CD's in his catalogue and consider each individual album a classic. It's too bad he can't get the recognition he deserves. Anyways, I stack this album about tied with Get Lifted and a bit better than Once Again. Either way, all in all, this is a classic.
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| Posted on Oct 23, 2008 |
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DJ Booth Member |
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i liked his slow first album to get rid of headaches now hes a little faster and got 3000 yea yea itz 5
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| Posted on Oct 23, 2008 |
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DJ Booth Member |
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 This album is good. My favorite track is Cross the line. I usually dont listen to john legends albums all the way through becuz for some reason it brings me down. Maybe its all the ballads. Trey Songz over John Legend Anyday though...
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| Posted on Oct 23, 2008 |
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DJ Booth Member |
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John Legend keeps impressing me every day...
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| Posted on Oct 23, 2008 |
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Tastemaker  Total Ratings: 433 |
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My father really likes John Legend. The first time I really heard him was off a live album about a year ago, when he released his Target exclusive album. After I listened to that, I became a fan. I haven't heard this album yet, but with the amount of songs I have heard, I'm going to give it a good rating. I love that Legend is trying something a little new with "Green Light" which is a great song, which brings me back to my father. He doesn't like the music of "Today" but once he heard this song, he loved it. For me to hear that my father actually likes something of today means that this is music. This is why he changed his last name. I didn't think that this album was going to be as good as the singles are making it out to be.
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| Posted on Oct 24, 2008 |
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Tastemaker |
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Blazing songs from top to bottom! great music right here. I love This Time and Cross The Line!! Those are my favs right now. Classic album!
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| Posted on Oct 24, 2008 |
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Tastemaker  Total Ratings: 2281 |
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This is a wonderful album! Wonder as in stevie wonder. Classic for real. John legend never seizes to amaze me with his sound. Its a full play on repeat loop. My personal favorites are Take me away, Everybody knows, Quickly, Green light and No other love. That's damn near half the album. Must buy!!!
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| Posted on Oct 24, 2008 |
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DJ Booth Member |
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BDF44, I've got to agree with you, Everybody Knows is quiet good. This album is great. John Legend is one of my favorite artists and he will continue to be.
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| Posted on Oct 24, 2008 |
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DJ Booth Member  Total Ratings: 213 |
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John Legend is one of the best male singers in the game right now, and this album proves it! No Other Love and Green Light are my personal favorites on this album. This album is a must-buy! This is R&B!
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| Posted on Oct 25, 2008 |
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DJ Booth Member |
Haven't heard the album but peep how the King of R&B influenced one of his songs... 'Good Morning' is about sex more explicitly than I've written about before. Sooner or later I had to go R. Kelly on my fans . . . without going all the way."
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| Posted on Nov 06, 2008 |
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| Posted on Nov 07, 2008 |
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DJ Booth Member |
da bom and his album is cool
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| Posted on Nov 08, 2008 |
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| Posted on Jan 13, 2009 |
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DJ Booth Member |
This album is slammin' from beginnning to end...Love
each and every song. Great music, great lyrics...You outdid yourself on this one John L. What a fantastic mix of singers & musicians. |
| Posted on Aug 08, 2009 |
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DJ Booth Member |
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I really like this album as soon as it came out I had to get it. Goes through highs and lows which is very important to me. Wonderful job can't wait til the next 1.
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| Posted on Oct 11, 2009 |
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