Album Of The Week: John Legend’s Wake Up!

It’s always exciting when two major talents collaborate on an album and usually the success is a product of the best of both worlds. Grammy award-winning soul artist John Legend has teamed up with fellow Grammy winners The Roots on his new album, Wake Up!,  a collection of soulful cover songs that reflect issues in education, health care, and environment to be released on September 21.

Even though Legend is no stranger to collaborations (rising to stardom through his collaborations with Kanye West and Jay Z), Wake Up! is a unique and brave addition to his collection, complete with hip hop legends backing him up and political messages sprinkled throughout.

Of all the recently released and upcoming albums, what’s so special about this particular collaboration? The fact is, Legend and The Roots have created an album with a purpose- a socially conscious collection reminiscent of motivating soul music from the 60′s and 70′s. Essentially, the bands “pay tribute to the legends of the past and introduce the legends of the future” on their album, and covers some of the better known soul musicians including Marvin Gaye and Eugene McDaniels.

Although its been done before, the political and social conscious album is given a new twist by employing tracks from the past and relating them to current issues. Whether or not you agree with the statements, you’ll find yourself grooving to the funky and soulful covers.

Who Digs it:

• Will Hermes of RollingStone agrees that Wake Up! “turns back the clock in all the right ways: The lead single from Legend’s album with the Roots is a sparkling cover of Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes’ 1975 hit”.

Who Doesn’t:

• Mikael Wood of Spin Magazine feels that the album is “a proudly dependable source of silly little love songs, John Legend makes for an unlikely heir to Marvin Gaye’s conscious-soul crown”.

If you are a fan of Legend, The Roots, or classic soul, then give the album a listen when it’s released on September 21, and judge it for yourself. Wake Up! is available on Amazon for $9.99.

Other Albums out September 21:

• Anberlin: Dark Is A Way, Light Is A Place
• Margot and the Nuclear So and So’s: Buzzard
• The State: Comedy For Gracious Living
• Serj Tankian: Imperfect Harmonies