John Legend and The Roots new album, Wake Up!, assures listeners there was and is still great music being made, even in these times of pop sensations with no musical expertise. Combining the smooth and soulful sound of John Legend and the funky beats of The Roots, this collaboration should not be overlooked.
For years, John Legend has been producing music filled with his heart and soul. A large portion of his music is slow, smooth and feel-good. But every once in a while, he comes out with songs like ""Sun Comes Up,"" and his ability to be funky and fast paced becomes known. Wake Up! gives listeners the best of both Legend worlds.
We are accustomed to hearing The Roots funk and hip-hop based music, but this collaboration allows them to tone it down a notch. Avid Roots fans should not be discouraged, however: After all, funk and hip-hop was born from soul music.
Wake Up! is composed solely of covers from the '60s and '70s written by famous and should-be-famous soul artists. The album begins with ""Hard Times,"" originally recorded by Baby Huey. It's a track that opens the eyes of youthful listeners to the hardships African Americans have gone through. The lyrics ""I don't wanna go back there no more"" help to depict this history.
The next tract, ""Compared To What,"" is a political outcry by Roberta Flack. Originally recorded in 1969, the lyrics are of a protesting nature: ""President's got his war / Folks don't know just what it's for."" John Legend and The Roots want people to know that our world, like that of 1969, needs help. We're in a time of economic and environmental crisis, and the words ""The world won't get better / If we just let it be"" on the title track ""Wake Up Everybody"" are as applicable as ever.
Throughout the album there are little ""sketches"" in which John Legend and fellow band members talk in spoken word, a style that forces the listener to pay attention to the song's subject matter, which can range from love to war. This is best heard in ""Little Ghetto Boy (Prelude).""
These are real musicians expressing real emotions. They truly believe in what they're saying. This can be heard in songs like ""I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free,"" with lyrics like ""I wish I could break / All the chains holding me."" It's a timeless song that's been recorded by numerous artists, from John Denver to Derek Trucks to its original singer, Nina Simone. Other notable tracks include ""Wholy Holy,"" made famous by Marvin Gaye, and ""I Can't Write Left-Handed,"" a Bill Withers original.
Yes, the radio is flooded with garbage. We hear songs by 13-year-olds who apparently have great insight when it comes to love and the difficulties of life. It's ridiculous. But Wake Up! is an album that opens the doors to the past, present and future of soul music in American society.
