Released - 9/21/10
Label - G.O.O.D. / Sony Music Entertainment
BLURB - I really wanted to be able to call "Wake Up!" the best album of 2010. I've been one of John Legend's biggest fans for the last five years, and after The Roots released "How I Got Over' I literally threw myself on to their bandwagon. The Roots and John Legend doing an album together...it should be magic. But somewhere between the drawing board and the studio, the collaboration lost it's luster. The fact that "Wake Up!" is essentially a cover album of political anthems from the 60's and 70's shouldn't stop this duo from shining, right? Unfortunately, it does and really restricts the passion, fun and creativity that both acts have become known for.
Rating - 4 out of 10
FULL STORY - Sometimes it's good to have a script. It's good to have a plan and everything laid out in front of you. But when you're a creative artist, known for your passion and spontaneity, creating a cover album of outdated political and civil anthems may not be your strong suit. "Wake Up!" is mired in tepid tracks of flailing energy and forced inspiration. I know I'm not the only person that feels this way. I actually had the chance to see John Legend & The Roots perform the album in it's entirety twice (in Brooklyn & Manhattan) and each time the crowd's energy was teetering on the border of comatose. The most ironic part of this, was that at each show, the album sounded a thousand times better than the record. The musicianship was precise, the energy was up - yet the crowd was just not into it, with the exception of a few people.
When listening to the album it feels too much like sitting in the back of history class while the teacher plays some black and white film about the Vietnam War. Fortunately, 'Hard Times' comes out of the gates swinging and is the most energetic and dynamic track on the album. The pounding bass is the perfect match for John Legend's soulful voice, and is complimented by clean guitar riffs and a dazzling horn section.
'Compared to What' comes with a decent 60's rock vibe but never amounts to anything. The track feels and empty and is devoid of enthusiasm. The chorus, at first listen, sounds like it has the potential to be some triumphant orchestration, but really lacks in energy and depth. If it wasn't for the phenomenal bass riffs in the chorus, I literally wouldn't know what to do with myself.
Black Thought (of The Roots) shines on 'Little Ghetto Boy,' a song that has actually grown on me the more I listen to it. The verses have a raw and authentic vibe, courtesy of Black Thought's original style and flow. The choruses and bridges also have a distinct pop-soul feel that comes off as both introspective and real. You can really feel the passion in Legend's voice on this one.
What's troubling is that these are the only bright spots of the album. 'Wake Up Everybody' comes off as cheesy and plain. 'I Can Write Left Handed' has a gospel vibe that I just can't get in to. 'Wholy Holy' is painfully slow and unexciting. As it turns out, what I thought would be this glorious collaboration between two stars of the R&B and hip hop worlds, ultimately turns into some failed experiment that few will even remember ever happened in a couple of years. You'd really think that with the amount of ingenuity and creative brain power that The Roots and John Legend have, they would have been able to dial up something a little more dynamic - and maybe they did - but it just doesn't transfer to the record.
Tracks
1.) Hard Times
2.) Compared to What
3.) Wake Up Everybody
4.) Our Generation
5.) Little Ghetto Boy (Prelude)
6.) Little Ghetto Boy
7.) Hang On in There
8.) Humanity (Love the Way It Should Be)
9.) Wholy Holy
10.) I Can't Write Left Handed
11.) I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free
12.) Shine
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