Once Again

by John Legend

Overview

Get Lifted netted John Legend a major hit ("Ordinary People") that will be heard on adult contemporary stations and throwback-oriented programs as long as they exist, platinum status, and three Grammy titles -- including the potential kiss of death that is Best New Artist. If Legend hadn't linked up with Kanye West or any other connected industry figure, he'd probably be well into a string of independent albums and would likely have a fanatical cult following through persistent touring. It doesn't take much exposure to his songs to sense this alternate scenario. No one can deny that Legend has had considerable help from his collaborators, and he continues to get that support this time out -- there's West, will.i.am, Sa-Ra, Raphael Saadiq, Plant Life's Jack Splash, and a massive crew of session musicians, but it's already evident that Legend only needs a piano to get by. Even with its many producers, Once Again is much more focused than Get Lifted, and the quality of its songs is equally high. Legend's obviously doing everything in his power to not fall off. He pours so much of himself into each one of these songs, whether they're about flings with groupies or breakups with long-term girlfriends, that the album can begin to wear around the eighth track. The songs flit back and forth between easygoing, butterflies-of-love-type sentiments and deep drama, with both sides expressed through similar levels of intensity. As much as anyone else, Legend would benefit from the recent (and generally welcomed) return of the 40-minute R&B album. If the album is missing something, it's a snappy, unapologetically swaggering track in the vein of Get Lifted's "Used to Love U," or perhaps a song or two that doesn't seem intent on displaying impressive musicality, but there are enough undeniably bright spots to please those who have already been won over. While Once Again might not get as much attention as its predecessor, it's more assured and sounds nothing like an experiment to see what sticks. Legend now knows exactly where he fits, and he's not holding back in the least. ~ Andy Kellman

Product Details

Release Date:	10/24/2006
Label:	Good Music
UPC:	0886919838220

Tracks

1. Save Room
2. Heaven
3. Stereo
4. Show Me
5. Each Day Gets Better
6. P.D.A. (We Just Don't Care)
7. Slow Dance
8. Again
9. Maxine
10. Where Did My Baby Go
11. Maxine's Interlude
12. Another Again
13. Coming Home

Album Credits

Performance Credits

John Legend   Primary Artist,Organ,Piano,Vocals,Keyboards,Vocals (Background)
Sergio Mendes   Primary Artist,Featured Artist
Mary J. Blige   Primary Artist,Vocals,Featured Artist
Lisa Kim   Violin
Stephen Bruner   Bass (Electric)
Raphael Saadiq   Guitar,Bass
Jeanne LeBlanc   Celli
Patrick Warren   Keyboards
Steve Williamson   Clarinet
Chris Bruce   Guitar
Karen Dreyfus   Viola
Shelley Woodworth   Oboe
Earl Harvin   Drums
Doyle Bramhall   Guitar
David Piltch   Bass
David Torn   Guitar
Sandra Park   Violin
Didi Gutman   Keyboards
Ron Fair   Piano
Katherine Fong   Violin
Chris Rob   Organ
Sharief Hobley   Guitar
Lenesha Randolph   Vocals (Background)
Elizabeth Dyson   Celli,Cello
Eric Hudson   Bass,Piano
Mateusz Wolski   Violin
Larry Eagle   Drums
Art Baron   Trombone
Harvey Mason, Sr.   Drums
Nicholas Cords   Viola
Sharon Yamada   Violin
will.i.am   Bass,Drums,Piano
Keyon Harrold   Horn
Jamie Muhoberac   Keyboards
Dave Tozer   Guitar (Acoustic),Piano
Bobby Ozuna   Drums
Helen Campo   Flute (Alto)
Jerry Freeman   Horn
Ken Lewis   Sampling
George Pajin Jr.   Guitar
Caterina Szepes   Violin
Tara Michel   Vocals (Background)
Evan Conquest   Guitar
Julie Landsman   French Horn
Soohyun Kwon   Violin
Candice Anderson   Vocals (Background)
Rob Bacon   Guitar
Kebbi Williams   Horn
Pusha T   Featured Artist
Krystof Kuznik   Violin
Jason Freeman   Horn
Diva Goodfriend-Koven   Flute (Alto)
Corey Hogan   Horn
Sasha Allen   Vocals (Background)
Swiss Chris Flueck   Drums
Vaughn Anthony   Vocals (Background)
Jung Sun Yoo   Violin
Mindy Kaufman   Flute (Alto)
Steve Tirpak   Trumpet,Trombone,Flugelhorn
Sarah O'Boyle   Violin
Jessyca Wilson   Vocals (Background)
Kuan Chen Lu   Violin
Keith Harris   Keyboards
Karesha Crawford   Horn
Wen Quin   Violin
Andrea Fisher   Flute
Mark Biondi   Drums
Jenaee Dixon   Horn
Richard Owens   Horn
George Pajon Jr.   Guitar
Diva Goodfriend   Flute (Alto)
Kuan Lu   Violin
Tom Craskey   Bass,Piano,Guitar,Vocals

Technical Credits

Alexandra Brown   Composer
Stephen Barber   String Arrangements
Raphael Saadiq   Composer,Producer
Taz Arnold   Composer,Producer,Instrumentation
Pam Sawyer   Composer
Tony Maserati   Mixing,Engineer
Hector Castillo   Engineer
Craig Street   Producer
James B. Cobb Jr.   Composer
Ryan Kennedy   Assistant
Devo Springsteen   Producer
S. "Husky" Hoeskulds   Engineer
Shafiq Husayn   Composer,Producer,Instrumentation
Jack Splash   Producer,Drum Programming
Anthony Kilhoffer   Engineer
Eric Hudson   Composer,Producer
Hyomin Kang   Assistant
Bill Mims   Assistant,Assistant Engineer
Chris Jennings   Assistant
Buddy Buie   Composer
Daniele Luppi   Arranger,String Arrangements
will.i.am   Engineer,Producer,Drum Programming
Cooper Anderson   Engineer
Andy Marcinkowski   Assistant
Om'Mas Keith   Instrumentation,Composer,Producer
Alex Venguer   Assistant
Charlie Stavish   Assistant
John Legend   Arranger,Producer,Vocal Producer,Executive Producer
Dave Tozer   Engineer,Producer,Drum Programming,Composer
Kawan "KP" Prather   A&R,Composer
Gelly Kusuma   Assistant
Ethan Donaldson   Assistant
Andrew Dawson   Engineer
Anthony "Rocky" Gallo   Engineer
Estelle Swaray   Composer
Dror Mohar   Assistant
Herb Powers   Mastering
Ken Lewis   Engineer,Producer
Milton Bland   Composer
Michael Harmon   Engineer
Erwin Gorostiza   Art Direction
Ray Lewis   Composer
Tatsuya Sato   Engineer
Chuck Brungardt   Engineer
Danny "Stems" Cheung   Engineer
John Stephens   Composer
Josh Sadlier-Brown   Engineer
David "Touch" Wright   A&R
Evan Conquest   Engineer
George Patterson   Composer
Frank Wilson   Composer
Chris Woehrle   Logo Design
Padraic Kerin   Engineer
Dan Ichimoto   Design,Art Direction
Kanye West   Composer,Producer,Executive Producer
Rob Bacon   Composer
Danny Clinch   Photography
Juli Knapp   A&R
Chris Allen   Assistant Engineer
Sa-Ra   Engineer,Producer,Instrumentation
James Tanksley   Assistant
Ichiho Nishiki   Assistant,Mixing Assistant
Jake & the Phatman   Producer
Charlene Roxborough   Stylist
Vaughn Stephens   Composer
Glenn Standridge   Engineer
Jessyca Wilson   Composer,Vocal Ad-Libs
Veronique Zanettin   Prop Design
Josh Kramer-Burkhart   Assistant
Tom Glordy   Assistant
Ruddy Buie   Composer
No I.D.   Producer
William Adams   Composer
Tom Craskey   Composer,Producer