REVIEW: JOHN LEGEND - LEGEND

4/5

He Is Legend.

To be legendary you have to 'Get Lifted' again like said inspired interlude on definitive debut. You have to do it 'Once Again', a pair of years later. And sometimes "you have to step away from that piano" like Andre 3000 said as he gave the 'Green Light' for John Legend's 'Evolver' evolution, slamming the lid down. Because, "even Stevie Wonder got down sometimes" (you bet your ass he did). This is 'Love In The Future' in all its 'Darkness and Light'. And it's going to take 'All Of Me' and all of you. All before another 'Legendary Christmas' hits the turntable this fall. It may seem like just a minute since Legend had 'Bigger Love' for us during our 2020 quarantine. But now two years later, he's back with a double deluxe with all eyes on he, as John goes for his 'Legend' like Lennon. Stripped bare like the 'Brown Sugar' of D'Angelo on this self surname titled affair. But how does it feel? 

Rich like mahogany with guest features. This is more than kind of a big deal. Anchored by Rick Ross, man. Reuniting again just weeks after they did it for DJ Khaled's album like the self-titled 'God Did'. Or the 'Free Mason' memories of John "on top of the world/making love to my (his...I hope not mine. Don't make me act like him, 'Between Two Ferns') favourite girl." Making a movie like you know he's going to do. And Legend goes in again for 'Rounds'. And don't play coy. You know where. "Cotton candy fingertips/Print my lips/I'ma slip inside those hips/Ease your grip/Yeah, yeah." DAMN (Kevin Hart reacting to Don Cheadle's age voice)! I'm sorry. 

A 'Dope' JID on a sick track and the Free Nationals with a 'Strawberry Blush' forever also feature. As do Jhene Aiko and Ty Dolla $ign on the 'Splash' waterfalls of a 'Waterslide' album of musing metaphors that get wetter than a log flume on a humid day when you're feeling real hot. The 'Fate' of Amber Mark and the great Jazmine Sullivan show real 'Love' in the tune of Anthony Hamilton soul. Matching the Prince passion of this bedroom set that purples the tape. From 'All She Wanna Do' with Saweetie, to the succulent 'Honey' with Muni Long, there's enough collaborations on this twin set to spot a duets album for the soul crooner of Legend. Going 'Wild' like he did on the best track of his last LP with Gary Clark Jr. 

Yet whether it's 'Speak(ing) In Tongues' with Jada Kingdom for the Holy Ghost of a little less conversation, a little more action, thank you very much. Or the great 'Good' Ledisi track, it's 'The Other Ones' featuring Rhapsody that's the best feature for all these other Johns. Black and white video beauty with Chrissy, Bohemian beats and lyrics to go like, "Don't wanna remember/Ever since that September/Not sentimental, let them go/And live your new life/Our new life, yeah/I'll pick you up/You leave the past back in the rearview/I see the future, got a clear view/With you and I/Oh, you and I, where." Because even after all, like Finley Quaye, "all the other ones fade away." And like smoke for the fire we make. That's the truth.

A 'Guy Like Me' talks honestly about all this stuff. In all its niceties and grey area nuance. From 'All She Wanna Do', to 'You'. Going for 'One Last Dance' and taking it personally like MJ (no, not that one) as he sings, "Sometimes I wander down the street/The place I swept you off your feet/I haven't seen you here in a while/That drink you love still taste the same/The DJ hasn't changed (Khaled? Another one?)/He just put on our favourite record right now ('God Did?')." Reaching higher like Jordan for that "head on shoulder, it ain't over" love like Lenny sang about until it's over. 

For 'Ordinary People' it seems that all of he is searching for that perfect wedding song like Tank to dum, dum, da, dum walk down the aisle. Catching 'Stardust' he almost has so much the DJ at your reception could press play and take a break for a deuce. But it's 'I Don't Love You Like I Used To' that really cuts the cake, getting down with 'Happy Birthday' clever twists for the 'Can't Just Preach' singer. Practising real love and a reprise reply to his first hit single 'Used To Love You'. But the proof is in the pudding...and we won't spoil the taste. Hear for yourself. 

Decked out with more tracks than Smokey Robinson had tears, Legend almost pulls off a straight-up miracle. Although some of these servings are water compared to the wine that flows throughout. All the way 'Home' like a 'Coming Home' revival for the man that gave his old friend Kanye West his original Chicago 'Homecoming' of G.O.O.D. Music before Coldplay. 

You're going to make new 'Memories' with these tracks. No need to be 'Nervous' like "adrenaline runnin' through my veins/I'm a skeleton when you say my name." But lasso me (if you're in to that sort of thing) in good truth, and I'll tell you that 'Wonder Woman' is the super stand-out track, like fellow piano player Alicia Keys' 'Superwoman' for all the heroines out there that need that reminder. "You make me wonder woman/How do you do it/Some sort of superpower/I don't understand/You make me wonder woman/How do you do it/You're superhuman/And I'm just a man." You know who he and we are talking to. 

'I Want You To Know', "layin' on the couch, I couldn't not stare/How'd I get so lucky? Got you right there/Lookin' like a movie when you don't care". This man is in a matrimony of married bliss for the record (not to mention a genius use of film reel in the next lyric). Teigen is a lucky woman. And his greatest muse. The pillow talk of 'Conversations In The Dark' are still so beautiful. After all these years. Even if this album is somewhat in 'Pieces' of 8 for this 24. Instead of a cohesive set. He still sings, "let your broken heart learn/Learn to live in pieces." Can we say damn again for all the feels? 

On this 'LEGEND' of the fall, there is a great album lost in the sweet shuffle of playlist ready filler. Clocking in at just over one hour and 20 minutes, this 24-carat gold album may have a Kobe in tracks, but less is more legendary, dear John. But still, for the legacy, John had enough sweet signatures to track every anniversary. TIM DAVID HARVEY.

Playlist Picks: 'Wonder Woman', 'The Other Ones (Feat. Rapsody)', 'I Don't Love You Like I Used To'.