A musical journey (Get Lifted - John Legend)

Member Name: paulie1975

Product:	Get Lifted - John Legend
Date:	11/01/09 (2 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Smooth, well produced, amazing vocals

Disadvantages: A couple of songs go on a bit too long.

This is a brilliant album, with a number of stand out tracks and collaborations with Kanye West and Snoop Dogg.

John Legend has a smooth singing style allied to his piano playing.

1. Prelude - John Legend - This is simply a set up for the album with John singing crooningly asking his listener to relax and join him on the soulful journey to come.

2. Let's Get Lifted - John Legend - Funky, uplifting with a smooth backing vocal, the guitar riff playing through the piece gives this its hook, at this stage of the Album to me, Legend is wooing a woman, enticing her to him talking about geting lifted together. The backing vocals contrast nicely with his smooth classical soul sound.

3. Used To Love U - John Legend - Guitar and beat based song again with the trademark Kanye backing, the piano really plays well through this tune, it plays as a song of John Legend talking to a woman he loved explaining why it wasn't right and he can't/doesn't love her anymore, as with many of the songs on the album, it has an immediate hook with the hola hola chorus and the piano and guitar combination working perfectly, this is bittersweet, bitter because of the subject matter yet its sweet soul at its best.

4. Alright - John Legend - Again this has John playing with a ladies heart telling her even if her guy turns up its alright with him, its soulful seduction with big beats and even a trombone at one point. This song in some ways doesn't suit Legend as I see him as a more sensitive singer but its still a wicked tune and Kanye's influence can be heard clearly in the snaps throughout this tune.


5. She Don't Have To Know - John Legend - Low down dirty cheat of a tune, its a great song, but I can't back it up morally, its about cheating on his lady because his subject is so hot. This is a seductive tune and on this one I am convinced it suits Legend, I love the Stevie Wonder-esque 70's smooth beats and Legends lazy delivery on this tune, its cool, but obviously not something we should encourage :)

6. Number One - John Legend featuring Kanye west - A great tune with Kanye rapping through it and Legend providing the chprus and singing, its catchy has a majestic seventies soul sound which runs through the album, Kanye contrasts perfectly with his fast fresh lyrics to Legends slow drawn out singing style, this is a great song and one I love relistening to.

7. I Can Change - John Legend featuring Snoop Dogg - See the theme here, to me Legend has been caught out by his other half by this stage after all his early album sleazing and telling his girl how important she is now he has to admit his error and talk about change, aided by the wonderful Snoop, who outdrawls legend, this has a great chorus a lovely stop shift style to the tune means you can sing along, this is just so good!!

8. Ordinary People - John Legend - Classic, this could be from any era, Legend and a piano talking about love and being normal, this is elegant, lyrically beautiful and his voice is perfect, I loved this when it first came out, love it now and in 20 years time will still love this song. Outstanding, classic tune.

9. Stay With You - John Legend - Possibly my favourite song on the album, for me this is the most romantic and has the most elegance and style to it, with gospel tinged backing, Legend sings about staying with the woman he loves and he sounds so convincing, this is a truly beautiful song, much slower than the first half of the album, but perfectly formed.

10. Let's Get Lifted Again - John Legend - Higher pitched, but keeping the slow romantic pace this is a song for lovers, not one of the best tunes on the album but really showcases Legends voice, almost D'Angelo-esque at moments.

11. So High - John Legend - This is lovely and romantic, it is true soul a song about two lovers floating away on a cloud together, his voice rises with the tune, it has true passion to it, the tune has a great hook and perfectly encapsulates this albums two halves.

12. Refuge (When It's Cold Outside) - John Legend - Foot tapping, the guitar is great on this song, has a catchy chorus and again a gospel tinged feel around the piano, one of the weaker songs on the album, but still very good nonetheless.

13. It Don't Have To Change - John Legend featuring The Stephens Family - I see this album in my head as a journey and Legend has enlightment, following his playing and realising his love for one girl, he loses her and this is a piano based gospel tune which really lifts you, excellent tune.

14. Live It Up - This song is sexy, the superfly backing sound is huge and seventies sounding, it is a big tune, Legend's voice really goes on a journey on this album and this ends it perfectly, brilliantly produced, wonderfully executed.

Overall for me this is a fabulous album, you can hear Kanye's production values all over it, it sweeps from classic romance, to seventies funk to gospel, it has it all. John Legend is exceptionally talented and his voice covers a range of styles and emotions brilliantly, I see the album as a journey of growing up and Legend and the tunes do that. There are 5 or 6 amazing songs about 3 that are good and the rest are very good, this is great value at £4.99 and has a real timeless feel to it.

Summary: A musical Journey