Despite John Legend's superabundant evidence of talent and achievements as a singer, songwriter, and pianist, his profile seemed like that of a celebrity peddling music on the side by the time he issued his first album of the 2020s. Relating to that notion, Bigger Love sounds cobbled together compared to Love in the Future and Darkness and Light, two of his previous and inspired albums. No two tracks share the same production credits, but Legend at least keeps it loosely tied together with nonstop positive and emphatic ...
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Despite John Legend's superabundant evidence of talent and achievements as a singer, songwriter, and pianist, his profile seemed like that of a celebrity peddling music on the side by the time he issued his first album of the 2020s. Relating to that notion, Bigger Love sounds cobbled together compared to Love in the Future and Darkness and Light, two of his previous and inspired albums. No two tracks share the same production credits, but Legend at least keeps it loosely tied together with nonstop positive and emphatic lovey-dovey/libidinal energy, and is no doubt helped by input from executive producer and labelmate Raphael Saadiq, who contributed to Once Again and produced A Legendary Christmas. Saadiq also co-pilots with Charlie Puth on the smooth disco proposition "I Do," the ideal set-up for "One Life," a brawnier '70s dancefloor trip guided by Anderson .Paak and Jeff Gitelman. "Conversations in the Dark" is one of Legend's best ballads, atmospheric and devotional with just enough power and specificity in the words to weaken cynical romantics. Among the guests, Gary Clark, Jr. distinguishes the ballad "Wild" with a solo that sounds like it had to come out of him, and Rapsody slides into position on the Al Green throwback "Remember Us" with some of her grade-A narrative wordplay. For Legend fans who value the sound of the man's exceptional-as-ever voice, Bigger Love will hold them over until the next release, without question. ~ Andy Kellman, Rovi
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