He sees not only as a young teenager, well, he has a wonderful fragile alto tenor voice, he writes excellent song-texts, is a very good pianist and probably the umschwärmteste Soul crooner our days. John Legend has his third album 'Evolver' submitted and wants to show that he has evolved. Only where? His hip-hop-meets-soul debut 'Get Lifted' was a sensation and won three Grammys, his second CD 'Once Again' was a wonderful ballad-heavy, melancholy homage to the soul of the 70s and now a little easier, faster and zeitgeist was to come. Why? Thank heaven, 'Evolver' is a good to very good republishing. On the debit side, the musical duet gave away stand with a great Brandy "Quickly", which strangely emotionless "Satisfaction" not convinced and his duet with friend and discoverer Kayne West "It's Over" one could do without. On the plus side the wonderful reggae-inspired duet stand with Estelle, the reminiscent of Maxi Priest Reggae Cut, "No Other Love" or the plaintive soulful "Everybody Knows". The new president of the United States could at the excellent hymn "If You're Out There" relish, while the goose bumps producing ballad "I Love, You Love" can certainly skyrocket the birth rate not only in the States. Also be strange retro-urban "Good Morning" is contagious during repeated listening. And one wonders why the young master does not stop at its bars, simply focuses on good, old soul in a new look and lets his often synthetically acting, after potential hit beats-per-minute squinting R & B counterparts with their average Sound alone. Legend is the great talent of the new Soul. 'Evolver' is good to very good, but could be much better.
