John Legend Get Lifted CD

Personnel: John Legend (vocals, piano, Fender Rhodes piano, organ, keyboards); John Legend; Kanye West (vocals, rap vocals, programming, drum programming); Tarrey Torae, Vaughn Stephens, MBalia Singley, A. Wayne Stephens, Ronald Stephens, Kashaan Stephens (vocals, background vocals); Clarence "Sleepy" Anderson, Lenesha Randolph, Tarey Torae, James Roston, Na2, Candace Anderson, Tara Michel, Candice Anderson (vocals); Dave Tozer (guitar, keyboards, bass guitar, programming, drum programming); Glen Jeffery, George Pajon, Curtis Jay, Jayme Kelly Curtis, Sharief Hobley (guitar); Corey Hogan (saxophone); Steve Tirpak, Jenee Dixon (trumpet); Elizabeth Lea (trombone); Horn Dogs (horns); will.i.am (Clavinet, Moog synthesizer, programming, drum programming); Jeremy Dyen (synthesizer); Swiss Chris, Jimmy Coleman (drums); Ted Chung, Shvona, Ronald "Bumper" Stephnes (hand claps); Brett Stephens, Marjorie Stephens, Brandy Stephens, Vada Stephens, Phyllis E. Stephens, Doris Stephens, Dionne Stephens, Phyllis Y. Stephens (background vocals); Snoop Dogg (vocals, rap vocals, spoken vocals); Miri Ben-Ari (strings); Tim Izo (flute, saxophone); Printz Board (trumpet).
Audio Mixer: Manny Marroquin.
Recording information: Sony Music Studios, New York, NY; Sound Images, Cincinnate, OH; Studio Crash, Philadelphia, PA; The Record Plant, Los Angeles, CA; The Stechia, Los Feliz, CA; The Stewchia, Los Feliz, CA; WEstlake Studios, Los Angeles, CA.
Photographers: Patricia Tyree; Danny Clinch.
Unknown Contributor Role: Matt Hueneman.
Arranger: Miri Ben-Ari.
If you've listened to Top 40 radio or flipped through the video channels during the past few years, odds are pretty good you know something about John Legend. He played piano on Lauryn Hill's "Everything Is Everything" and might as well be considered Kanye West's sidekick, having assisted the producer and MC on several sessions -- Jay-Z's "Encore" and Slum Village's "Selfish" being two of the more prominent 2004 singles featuring his work. A former choir director, he has also released a handful of energetic live discs, some of which are credited to his less hubristic birth name, John Stephens. And though he claims "I've got something new," you've also heard substantial chunks of Get Lifted in records made decades ago by Sly & the Family Stone, Curtis Mayfield, Quincy Jones, and Bill Withers. This might not be a problem for listeners who crave anything that recalls the music they first heard in their youth, but Legend's over-reliance upon his inspirations is an impediment as much as a slick way to grab attention. That's because he has more than enough talent and charm to get by on his own. His own lyrics and hooks are unique and clever enough to get the point across that he's no everyday R&B artist and, just as importantly, he has a personable and instantly fetching voice you could listen to all day long. However, the association with West -- whose Sony-distributed boutique label released the record -- is very helpful. Without it, Legend would likely be zoned into neo-soul (2003's Live at SOB's New York City really makes this notion apparent), thereby standing little chance of reaching the ears of anyone younger than 30. The production work supporting his songs strikes a fine balance between soul and hip-hop, allowing him to appeal to those who are coming from either angle. This is a very good record. It's a given that Legend is destined to make at least two others that top it. [A year after its initial release, the album was issued with a bonus DVD recorded at Legend's performance at Hollywood's House of Blues in August 2005.] ~ Andy Kellman
If you've listened to Top 40 radio or flipped through the video channels during the past few years, odds are pretty good you know something about John Legend. He played piano on Lauryn Hill's "Everything Is Everything" and might as well be considered Kanye West's sidekick, having assisted the producer and MC on several sessions -- Jay-Z's "EncoreRolling Stone (p.108) - 4 stars out of 5 - "His brand of soul is mannered, even elegant. And he's got range..."
Spin (p.88) - "[M]ashing up Sunday-service passion and request-line soul. His voice leans on subtlety more than melisma, and his sound has a crisp live-band jump, rather than canned neo-soul static." - Grade: A-
Entertainment Weekly (p.85) - "Like Ray Charles, Legend joins the spiritual and the secular in satisfying, sexy ways....Almost every tune seduces with catchy hooks and soulful singing..." - Grade: A-
Q (p.121) - "[He has] a gift for writing crowd-pleasing songs, whether upbeat and funky or spare and introspective..."
Uncut (p.132) - 3 stars out of 5 - "[H]e introduces some intriguing new variations on the retro R&B template....Jeff Buckely is surprisingly brought to mind in Legend's passionately fragile delivery."
Vibe (p.144) - 5 discs out of 5 - "It's refreshing to hear a male vocalist who has enough talent to be more than a legend in his own mind."
Mojo (Publisher) (p.63) - Ranked #43 in Mojo's "The 50 Best Albums Of 2005" - "[L]ayering choral gospel on hip hop's brag in a style bowing to Stevie and Curtis."