John Legend’s anticipated album, “Wake Up,” will be released this fall (2010) !
Teaming up with The Roots, Legend’s “Wake Up” will feature soulful music from the 60’s and 70’s all with an underlying theme of awareness, engagement and consciousness — effectively telling listeners to Wake Up!
“These songs sound so relevant now,” Legend said in statement Thursday. “On most of them, you wouldn’t change a lyric. ‘Wake Up Everybody’ (the first single) has four verses — the first one is a general statement, the second is about education, third is about health care, and the fourth is about making a better environment. No editing needed.”
Originally partnering up for a single, John Legend and the Roots’ passion for “Wake Up” quickly developed into a passionate album with eleven evocative songs infused with sounds of gospel, rock and reggae infections with hip-hop influences.
Highlighted by familiar tracks including “Wholly Holy” (Marvin Gaye), “Little Ghetto Boy” (Donny Hathaway), Hard Times (Baby Huey and the Babysitters) and “Hang on in There” (Mike James Kirkland), Roots drummer/musical director Ahmir “?uestlove” Thompson says “When these songs were written, people were more spiritually in tune. It was fresh from the civil rights era and there was a feeling of hope that maybe, yes, someday we will all be free. In 2010, not so much.”
The album features one original composition, Legend’s song “Shine,” which is featured in Academy Award-winning director Davis Guggenheim’s upcoming documentary film ‘Waiting for Superman’. The song, a “Stevie-Wonder-meets-gospel” stunner, clearly demonstrates the strengths of this specific group of musicians. Wake Up! blends Legend’s expressive, thoughtful vocal interpretations with an element of funk that only The Roots can provide.
