Once Again breaks from Legend's norm

John Legend adapts to new genres

By Derek Reagan

Published Nov. 6, 2008

With almost a two-year hiatus since his second album, Once Again, John Legend has finally broken the silence. With his third album, Evolver, Legend steps away from the traditional role of singing on piano ballads and experiments with music that mixes hip-hop and R&B. With a few exceptions, Legend shows he can sing well on any soundscape thrown his way. Old fans of Legend will enjoy his new sound and new fans can find what concept they like best, whether it's traditional, hip-hop, reggae or something entirely new.

His first single, "Green Light," is a great example of Legend's skill on something that doesn't necessarily fit his persona. On the upbeat hip-hop rhythm that incorporates a lot of synth, Legend sounds right at home. The song is definitely fit for the club, with its catchy chorus and nearly perfect guest verse from Outkast's Andre 3000. As the song comes to a close, Andre 3000 sings, "Sometimes you gotta step from behind that piano and let 'em know what's goin' on/even Stevie Wonder got done sometimes." Lucky for listeners, Legend does exactly that with "Green Light."

The second single, "If You're Out There," finds a more traditional Legend crooning over a piano melody with drums and assistance from the Agape Choir during the chorus. The song was inspired by president-elect Barack Obama and was then adopted as a theme song for his campaign. The lyrics are politically charged, the predominant theme being that tomorrow starts now.

On "No Other Love," Legend sings about love that can't be compared to anything else. The guest performance by British singer/rapper Estelle (best known for "American Boy" ft. Kanye West) compliments Legend extremely well, her verse making one believe that she grew up in the Caribbean rather than England. The reggae beat wouldn't sound surprising on a Bob Marley album, and Legend does a great job of making the song feel like a natural fit.

On "It's Over" Legend teams up with label-mate Kanye West over another hip-hop beat, featuring equal parts drums and eletcrosynth. Legend asks over the chorus why his ex continues to call, even though it's over. One of the song's highlights is West's performance using autotune, no doubt practicing for 808s and Heartbreak. Combined, Legend and West create a unique song that doesn't necessarily fit into any particular genre.

A universal relationship no-no is you should never sleep with your best friend. On "Cross The Line," Legend proposes not to let the moment slip away. With such an absurd suggestion, Legend makes a persuasive case to give in to the moment and see if there is romance there, despite moral implications. Legend's vocals over the piano and drum line make for one of the album's strongest highlights.