Central Arkansas Confidential

     If you don't have the new John Legend album, do yourself a favor, get on iTunes, go to Best Buy, do something and get it.  Completely new styles from his first disc, it has the same threads of soul, r&b, jazz and just enough hip hop to be current.  I'm currently listening to it on repeat at the "salt mine" and bobbing around to "Heaven Only Knows". 

     A good friend introduced me to Legend around the same time another introduced me to Gavin DeGraw, and when both were emerging out of the NYC music scene and singer/ songwriters bringing the piano back into vogue.  I was smitten as soon as Ordinary People hit my ears and I've been hooked ever since.

Legend has played and produced for everyone from Lauryn Hill (please, where's my promised new Ms. Hill record?) to Kanye West to Alicia Keys and Joss Stone.  Legend is one of the best in the business and looks to only continue to rise among his contemporaries with the rare gift of being musician, lyricist, performer and producer who actually is capable of wearing all the hats at the same time.

Go, now, and find this music.....

Confidentially, "I think I've got to let her go, she only loves in stereo." - Mr. Ricky  (caconfidential@gmail.com)

By request from Belinda, the following long overdue and short and sweet guide to Once Again, by John Legend.  Preface:  Legend's songs are no where near being the same style throughout, artitistically, he's a whirlwind of soul, R&B, Mo-town, hip-hop, funk, jazz and blues.  He uses them indiscriminately like I use italian spices when making red sauce.  So there's something for everyone here, but don't expect getting two songs and loving them means the rest are just the same... iTunes let's you preview still right?

Un-definitive Overview:

Save Room - kinda funk influenced, up beat, jazzy, I like it a lot.

Heaven - again, mix of new school and and ole skool, this song will get you moving in your chair.

Stereo - one of my favorite tracks.  it scorches and lends itself to "in-car" singing and seat dancing.

Show Me - love songs, wow, he's got 'em.  This one is great, real smokey, surely it can only be played in a dimly lit speak easy.

Each Day Gets Better - more traditional mo-town feel to this one.

P.D.A. - starts off like it's this little ballad and then, BAM! Probably the easiest song to groove to, meant for head bobbin and shoulder shruggin.

Slow Dance - Take me back, John, take me back, this song is slow in all the right ways, just like the title, you really do want to grab someone and head out to the floor. 

Again - The song I can't get away from.  Like Ordinary People from his debut, this song will tear your heart out and make you wonder how he doesn't have his own hour on MTV.  This is Legend at his finest, and simplest, it could only better if it was just him at the piano and nothing else.

Maxine - not the pick for just buying a couple, it's a story song kinda, it's soulful and layered, lots of back up singers, but not the strongest cut on the record. 

Where Did My Baby Go - I don't know, but I'm glad she did so we got this song.  Again, the lost love song is alive and well in Legend's hands.  Again, simple, strong and you'll be singing the hook all day... trust me...

Another Again - Again the beat in this song is perfect and Legend shouldn't be allowed to sing this well.  If he ever does a piano only cd, this must be included. (Not to be confused with Again, two diff. songs, both good)

Coming Home - this song is beautiful.  That's the only way I can describe it.  It's worth at least $2.75

So, if you don't want to drop the $9.99, I would suggest the following for the Once Again experience:(in no particular order)(it's like picking which puppies to get rid of...)

Coming Home
Again
Where Did My Baby Go
Slow Dance
Show Me
Stereo

Okay, that's all I can do, I can't imagine not owning the above, and see that's six bucks right there, $4 more and you get it all.  So if you get two, one being Again I would say, I would get Stereo if you like R/B, Hiphop, or Slow Dance if you want a more retro-Detroit sound.  You really can't go wrong with Legend, I don't think he's written a song that I've taken out of my iTunes rotation.