Even for those who didn't live through them, the '60s are very much a part of the American consciousness, and protest and political activism still pervade as ideals of active citizenship.
John Legend and hip−hop band The Roots, inspired by the 2008 election campaign, want to remind us of that spirit. Their new album "Wake Up!" features soul covers with themes of activism.
Legend is a classically trained singer, but collaborating with hip−hop artists is not new for him. He's been featured in many popular hip−hop songs, appearing with Kanye West on singles such as "Through the Wire" and "All Falls Down."
Nor is this the first time Legend has worked with The Roots, a hip−hop group notable for its live instrumentals and jazzy approach to the genre, but "Wake Up!" is the first official collaboration in this vein for both groups.
Whether this latest album actually succeeds in "waking up" listeners is still up for debate. Soul music is, by design, smooth and relaxing, and the first three tracks on the album are pure soul. The accompaniment by the Roots carries the soul feeling from track to track and creates a feel−good atmosphere. Notable tracks are "Humanity," which stands out from the rest of the album because it features a reggae beat, and "Wake Up Everybody," which demonstrates what soul music is all about and is the only song featuring a female singer, Melanie Fiona.
There's some potential for commercial play for the tracks on "Wake Up!," with The Roots frontman Black Thought featured on several songs, including the first track, "Hard Times." The singer is not given a fair chance to shine, though — his rapping gets lost amid all the melodies, and the lyrics don't offer him an opportunity to spit anything powerful enough to resonate with listeners. It would have been nice to see more contrast between the instrumentals and the rapper, but this is a minor flaw.
As The Roots' accompaniment pulls you along on your dreamy journey through soul music, there are two tracks that might actually put you to sleep: "Wholy Holy" and "Shine," the only original track on the album. Legend's vocals are not passionate enough to give either song a real crescendo, and this effect is multiplied on "Shine" as Legend repeats the same phrase — "let 'em shine" — throughout the whole song.
Legend's vocals are problematic throughout the album. The singer's voice lacks the grit and emotion necessary to really bring home lyrics concerning the topics featured on "Wake Up!" Thus the serious message of social activism gets lost behind the melodic instrumentals. His voice also fails to stir listeners; there's just not enough joy to get them out of their seats and clapping like soul music should.
The covers fail to surpass, or even match, the originals. The album features songs by some of the soul greats, from Marvin Gaye to Baby Huey, but Legend can't channel the raw emotion behind these songs, nor does the collaboration do a good enough job reinterpreting them. While I applaud the attempt to bring hip−hop and soul together, neither aspect is fully realized.
Maybe if I didn't know "Wake Up!" was a cover album, I could appreciate it more, and maybe if the '60s had never happened, we wouldn't lament the relative apathy that characterizes our generation. Unfortunately, however, there will always be a precedent, and unfortunately this album doesn't quite measure up.
