In 2004, Kanye West tabbed John Legend "the future of hip-hop," an interesting label for a man whose elegant voice and schooled songwriting conjures up Bill Withers and Al Green; but sometimes the future intersects with the past in a manner transcending revival. Legend's debut, Get Lifted, is a charming, earnest record. Sometimes he dives into a contemporary slow jam, as on "Let's Get Lifted"; other times he finds a groove the Delfonics would be proud of, as on the West-driven "Number One." On the gently gorgeous "Ordinary People, " however, it's just the man and his piano. Whether he's truly the future direction of any genre or not, Legend is an artist to watch, and Get Lifted offers the first major taste of his talent. ~ Jason Thurston|
Rovi