John Legend - Get Lifted

Genre soul Publisher Columbia Records External Links Official Website Columbia Records

Knowing people in whatever business you enjoy definitely helps you get places. Having a talent that speaks for itself is another thing, and John Legend deftly combines both of them into an soul album for all ages with Get Lifted.

Despite his boastful faux last name, Legend (whose real name is Stephens) uses his association with Kanye West to gain attention from the younger crowd who may not necessarily dig soul music. West helps produce a serviceable album that has a little of everything. It would be easy to dispose Legend as a West hanger on, but the man has vocal talent and the piano chops to be noticed on his own.

Get Lifted is Legend's first official album after a string of live discs, and it features a crisp, laid back feel that is sorely lacking in today's most popular R&B/soul songs. The songs peel off so smooth and effortlessly that you feel that Legend wrote most of them while lounging in the backseat of a convertible. Mid-tempo is the flavor of the album, with no song breaking a sweat over 52 minutes, and it's hard to distinguish one song from another if you aren't paying attention.

As noted in the lengthy credits at the end of each song lyric in the book, Legend gets a lot of help from his friends. West and his golden touch shares co-writing credits with Legend on four songs, arguably the best on Lifted. Without West, the songs lose some of the drive and meander through Legend's laments. Will.i.am (Black Eyed Peas) adds some bounce to "She Don't Have to Know," Miri Ben-Ari soulfully sings on "Live it Up" (also an accomplished session vocalist trying to make a name for herself), and the always apparent Snoop Dogg lends his familiar rapping chops to "I Can Change." Of all the songs on the album, the one that Snoop partakes in is the one most out of place, and that could have been rectified if it cut the small part he does have on the song. Perhaps it was to lend some credibility to the album, but Snoop just does not fit on Lifted.

If stripped of the guests, Legend could stand on his own. Kind of like a male Alicia Keys, Legend is adept at the piano with a soulful voice. With generally positive and upbeat lyrics, what on Earth could stop him from succeeding? The choice of actually performing songs live and already releasing them proves that he's not just a flash in the pan, but will most likely forge a solid career out of his talents.

Get Lifted is a great starting point for Legend, who is not a legend quite yet. The schmaltzy songs (like "So High," which is ready for any American Idol contestant to murder) need to be limited, but Legend has the tools to be around for a while.