Evolver

by John Legend

Overview

Evolver is more clever and appealing as an album title than Dabbler, yet the latter would be much more emblematic of John Legend's third studio album. Legend is up-front about his lane changes, not just by admitting to the press that it does not sound like him, but also through the album's lead single. "Green Light," decked out in giddy synthesizers a la Paul McCartney's tolerated-or-loathed "A Wonderful Christmas Time" (or, OK, the glitziest part of Kanye West's "Flashing Lights"), sounds like an increasingly bad fit with each play, full of simpleminded gestures ("Dying to meet you/So let's mess around") while benefiting from Andre 3000's upstaging, off-the-cuff, don't-give-a-damn appearance. Following it is "It's Over," a relatively characteristic breakup song (albeit one where an Auto-Tuned West shows up to rhyme "kiddies" with "titties") that effectively sets the tone for the album's all-around erratic nature. There's a show-stopping ballad, a reggae-flavored Estelle feature, flashes of tropical lushness, a couple throwbacks to soul-informed soft rock, a clumsy track full of chunky synth riffs, a brave topical message song to close, and a couple other diversions throughout. The album's lack of focus would go down easier if a majority of the songs had the feeling and finesse of the highlights from Once Again and Get Lifted; the hooks aren't nearly as memorable and come off as forced, and Legend often sounds like he is being fed directions on what emotions to channel ("scorned, belligerent"; "heartbroken, twinkle in eyes") while remaining occupied by the satisfaction that comes with hearing what his vocal cords are capable of achieving. Easily the least accomplished of his albums, Evolver is nonetheless a refreshing change of sorts, for all its faults, at least as far as missteps are concerned. Safe, retraced steps from accomplished R&B artists are all too common, and this, if anything, is nothing of the sort. ~ Andy Kellman

Product Details

Release Date:	10/28/2008
Label:	Sony Bmg
UPC:	0888430769823
Rank:	85175

Tracks

1. Good Morning (Intro)
2. Green Light
3. It's Over
4. Everybody Knows
5. Quickly
6. Cross the Line
7. No Other Love
8. This Time
9. Satisfaction
10. Take Me Away
11. Good Morning
12. I Love, You Love
13. If You're Out There

Album Credits

Performance Credits

John Legend   Primary Artist,Organ,Piano,Vocals,Keyboards,Vocals (Background)
André 3000   Primary Artist,Vocals,Guest Artist,Featured Artist
Kanye West   Primary Artist,Vocals,Guest Artist,Featured Artist
Buju Banton   Primary Artist
Estelle   Primary Artist,Vocals,Guest Artist,Featured Artist,Vocals (Background)
Brandy   Primary Artist,Vocals,Guest Artist,Featured Artist,Vocals (Background)
Joy Bella Heilig   Soprano (Vocal)
Jenny Kim   French Horn
La Donna Bennett   Soprano (Vocal)
Rev. Diana Presley   Soprano (Vocal)
Jan Lebow   Alto (Vocals)
Sue Hanney   Bass
Reirani   Alto (Vocals)
Sonia Jackson   Alto (Vocals)
Michelle Lactose   Alto (Vocals)
Sayida Peprah   Soprano (Vocal)
Marianne Lewis   Soprano (Vocal)
Elle Perrault   Soprano (Vocal)
Laurie Wilder   Alto (Vocals)
John Meeks   Bass (Vocal)
Tracette Hillman   Alto (Vocals)
Kate Reddish   Viola
Tamara Hatwan   Violin
Lynn Biehl   Alto (Vocals)
Marc Sazer   Violin
Ramon Pratt   Bass (Vocal)
Jonnie Acuna   Tenor (Vocal)
Pam Dearing   Soprano (Vocal)
Hornz Unlimited   Horn
Richard L. Owens   Trombone
Jason Powell   Tenor (Vocal)
Agape Choir Of Santa Monica   Choir/Chorus
Angel Travis   Soprano (Vocal)
Nina Evtuhov   Violin
Giovanna Clayton   Cello
Charlie Judge   Strings,Synthesizer
Charles Parker   Violin
Terrence Smith   Vocals (Background)
Christopher Breaux   Vocals (Background)
Rikk Galvin   Bass (Vocal)
Toyian Forte   Tenor (Vocal)
Paul Harburger   Bass (Vocal)
Lisa Michelle Tallamentes   Soprano (Vocal)
Teddy Bass   Tenor (Vocal)
James Thatcher   French Horn
Malay   Various Instruments,Keyboards
Bruce Morgenthaler   Bass
Dave Tozer   Guitar,Keyboards
Drew Dembowski   Bass
Katia Popov   Violin
Stephen Tirpak   Keyboards
Ron Blair   Bass (Vocal)
Carole Castillo   Viola
Carolyn Riley   Viola
Jennie Levin   Violin
Neil Samples   Violin
Tim McAffee Lewis   Conductor,Choir Conductor
Eugene "Man Man" Roberts   Vocoder,Keyboards
Alan Grunfeld   Violin
Jerry Freeman   Trumpet
Charles "Spud" Murphy   Bass (Vocal)
Ian Cousineau   Bass (Vocal)
Paul Klintworth   French Horn
Lorenz Gamma   Violin
Tim Pierce   Guitar
Tomi Martin   Guitar
Darius Campo   Violin
Chuck Harmony   Various Instruments
Alexandra Leem   Viola
Robin Olson   Violin
Emma Kummrow   Violin
Davis A. Barnett   Viola
Ann Atkinson   Bass
Dana Kelley   French Horn
Irina Voloshina   Violin
Shawn Mann   Viola
Jennie Lorenzo   Cello
Jamie Muhoberac   Keyboards
Dean Fraser   Horn
Shalini Vijayan   Violin
Mitchum Chin   Guitar,Keyboards
Windy Biealich   Soprano (Vocal)
Rickie Byars Beckwith   Alto (Vocals)
Miriam Green   Alto (Vocals)
Skip Jennings   Tenor (Vocal)
Luis Jardim   Percussion
Curt Bisquera   Drums
Piotr Jandula   Viola
Victor Lawrence   Celli,Cello
Larry Gold   Conductor,String Conductor
Shannon Sanders   Keyboards
Neel Hammond   Violin
Cecilia Tsan   Celli,Cello
Alma Fernandez   Viola
Pharrell Williams   Percussion,Vocals (Background)
Gregory Teperman   Violin
Robert Martin   Violin
Rick Nowels   Harpsichord
Julie Rogers   Violin
Pete Donnelly   Bass
Lesa Terry   Violin
Olga Konopelsky   Violin
Fin Greenall   Guitar (Acoustic)
Joshua "Trumpet Solo" Lopez   Guitar
Sharief Hobley   Guitar
Sue Raney   Bass
Lenesha Randolph   Vocals (Background)
Agape International Choir   Vocals
Chris Walden   Conductor
Jason Freeman   Trumpet
Joel Pargman   Violin
Trevor Horn   Guitar
Sid Page   Violin
Raymond Davis   Tenor (Vocal)
Larry Corbett   Celli,Cello
Bruce Dukov   Violin
Candice Anderson   Vocals (Background)
Igor Szwec   Violin
Kebbi Williams   Sax (Tenor)
Jessyca Wilson   Vocals (Background)

Technical Credits

Syience   Audio Production
Robert Smith   Assistant
Joe Bisirri   Engineer
Britten Newbill   Composer
Padraic Kerin   Engineer
Dwayne Chin-Quee   Arranger,Composer,Producer,Programming,Audio Production
Michelle Holme   Design,Art Direction
Nabil Elderkin   Photography
James Neng-Hsien Ho   Composer
Terrence Smith   Composer
William Adams   Composer
Christopher Breaux   Composer,Vocal Producer,Audio Production
Kevin KD Davis   Mixing
Geno Regist   Engineer
Juli Knapp   A&R
Malay   Audio Production,Engineer,Producer,Programming,Instrumentation
Dave Tozer   Arranger,Composer,Engineer,Producer,Audio Production,String Arrangements
Kawan "KP" Prather   Composer,Producer,Audio Production
Marcus John Bryant   Composer,Producer,Audio Production
Conrad Golding   Engineer
Afroganic   Remixing,Audio Production
Stephen Tirpak   Arranger,String Arrangements
Christian Plata   Mixing,Assistant
Dapo Torimiro   Composer,Producer
Mike A. Jarosz   Copyist
Erik Madrid   Mixing,Assistant
DeVon "Devo" Harris   Composer,Producer,Audio Production
Eugene "Man Man" Roberts   Programming
Alex Yenguen   Mixing
Vincent Peters   Cover Photo,Photography
Denny Ogle   Assistant
Quincy Jackson   Marketing
John Stephens   Composer
Graham Archer   Assistant
Reggie Perry   Composer
Rich King   Audio Production
Shaffer Smith   Composer
Tha Prof   Mixing
Waynne Nugent   Composer
David Kutch   Mastering
Chris Feldmann   Design,Art Direction
Manny Marroquin   Mixing
Chuck Harmony   Composer,Audio Production
will.i.am   Producer,Audio Production
Andre Benjamin   Composer
John Legend   Arranger,Producer,Audio Production,Executive Producer
Mark Knopfler   Composer
Ne-Yo   Producer,Audio Production
Mitchum Chin   Composer,Producer,Audio Production
KP   Audio Production
Odd Hartwell   Assistant
B Don   Assistant
Phil Egan   Assistant
Tim Weidner   Engineer
Kevin Davis   Mixing
Drew Ramsey   Audio Production,Composer
Nick Ingman   Arranger,String Arrangements
Larry Gold   Arranger,String Arrangements
Shannon Sanders   Composer,Audio Production
Jean-Marie Horvat   Mixing
Jeff Chestek   Engineer
Dirty Swift   Audio Production
Bruce Waynne   Producer,Audio Production
Pharrell Williams   Composer
Rick Nowels   Arranger,Composer,Audio Production
Kanye West   Composer,Producer,Audio Production,Executive Producer
Christine Teigen   Composer
Estelle Swaray   Composer
Fin Greenall   Arranger,Composer
James Ho   Composer
Kevin Risto   Composer
Mike "Hitman" Wilson   Mixing,Engineer
Anthony Kilhoffer   Engineer
Kieron Menzies   Mixing
Alex Venguer   Mixing,Engineer
Trevor Horn   Producer,Audio Production
Steve MacMillan   Engineer
Pete Murray   Arranger,String Arrangements