John Legend, Bigger Love | Album Review 💿

John Legend takes some risks on Bigger Love, which is imperfect, but more often than not, an enjoyable contemporary R&B album.

Juneteenth 2020 just might’ve been the biggest Juneteenth ever.  It certainly was the biggest of the 21^st century.  With celebrations across the country, many black artists sought to go to their ‘ace in the hole’ – music! Grammy-winner John Legend was one of those, releasing his sixth studio album, Bigger Love.  Bigger Love definitely finds one R&B’s torchbearers shining bright, never falling short where his voice is concerned.  The album as a whole has plenty of worthwhile moments too, though it’s not without its flaws, one of which is length.  There are 16 songs…

“Ooh Laa”

✓ “Ooh Laa” commences Bigger Love with a bang.  John Legend has one foot in the door of the past (doo-wop, old-school R&B) and another in the present (trap).  The record retains the soulful roots and pipes of Legend, further amplified by sampling the iconic “I Only Have Eyes for You”.  Obviously, we don’t associate Legend with trap, so it is pretty intriguing to hear him backed by 808s as opposed to more of the dusty, drum programming that anchored his neo-soul records of the past.  Throw in the love component, and Mr. Stephens has another winner on his hands.

La-da-da-da-da, here I go again / With another love song that I wasted / Just another love run out of patience…” Ah, ✓ “Actions” do in fact speak louder than words ;).  “Actions” is more old-school, yet it’s no anachronism either. Oak masterfully captures a classic sound, via two awesome samples: “The Edge” (David McCallum) and “The Next Episode” (Dr. Dre featuring Kurupt, Nate Dogg, and Snoop Dogg), which samples “The Edge” itself. Legend remains the star, singing like an absolute champ.  He never forces things, sounding naturally compelling, nuanced, and potent. Legend placing emphasis on showing as opposed to telling when it comes to love, best exhibited on the chorus:

“Actions, speak louder than, speak louder than, speak louder than love songs
The melodies they carry on
Actions, speak louder than, speak louder than, speak louder than love songs
I’ve been doing it all wrong.”

“Actions” is well-rounded with elite vocals, classic yet refreshing production, and entertaining songwriting.

“I Do”

Old and new continue be fused effortlessly on “I Do,” a feel-good, groovy, mid-tempo contemporary soul cut.  John Legend doesn’t reinvent the wheel here, but he continues to excel at his craft with little to object about.  The same can be said of “One Life,” which certainly feels like a fitting follow-up. Notably, this groovy gem is produced by Grammy-winner Anderson .Paak and Jeff “Gitty” Gitelman.  It feels like the perfect fit for John, no questions asked. There’s a heaping dose of love and dedication – the optimism about marriage and unshakable monogamy is definitely on 10.  Perhaps a younger R&B fan will miss the sleezier side of the genre with something this refined, but they probably aren’t vibing with Legend anyways TBH!

✓ “Wild” is a welcome change of pace, despite how accomplished “One Life” ends up being. This setting finds Legend in more of a pop/rock vein, though still very much idiomatic of adult contemporary R&B.  He collaborates with Gary Clark, Jr., who absolutely blesses with his guitar skills.  As always, Legend is at the top of his game, supported by background vocals that further amplify the ‘wild’ experience.

On ✓ “Bigger Love”, Legend remains a potent vocal force.  His lower register is rich and robust, while his upper register and falsetto are both surprising yet incredibly effective.  Thematically, singing about a dedicated, “bigger love” is definitely in his wheelhouse lyrically and thematically.  What’s a bit of an adjustment is the sleek, modern pop sound, constructed by the production team of Ryan Tedder, Di Genius, Cautious Clay, and Zach Skelton. It’s successful, but a departure for Legend fans most accustomed to those throwback vibes.

“U Move, I Move” 

On “U Move, I Move,” Jhené Aiko reciprocates Legend’s guest appearance on her album, Chilombo.  The resulting duet is beautiful and soundly executed, much like “Lightning & Thunder” was.  That said, “U Move, I Move” isn’t the least bit game changing, nor necessarily among the most elite moments of Bigger Love.  On “Favorite Place,” Legend channels his sexy side, co-writing with Julia Michaels and Jamil “Digi” Chammas. This sexiness goes down without crossing the lines of his younger contemporaries, though, it’s pretty obvious that a lyric like “Intertwine our legs ‘til we connect” is about sex through and through.

Continuing the success of the album is “Slow Cooker,” which is another throwback moment for Legend. While “Slow Cooker” is refreshing, it’s clear the influences are black gospel and soul.  Some of the selling points include John’s falsetto, John’s assertive, full-bodied vocals (ha), and the accompaniment, consisting of organ, guitar, and horns.  Of “Focused,” which follows, Legend comments via Apple Music that “[‘Focused’] has a different vibe than the rest of the record, more acoustic and folksy. It kind of reminds me of an Otis Redding song.” Indeed, “Focused” sounds like nothing else on Bigger Love, clearly distinguishing itself.  Again, it’s another example of a solid record, even if you don’t necessarily leave Bigger Love as high on it as Legend is.

“Conversations in the Dark”

✓ “Conversations in the Dark”, the crème de la crème of Bigger Love and one of the best songs of 2020. “Conversations” is a sound blend of pop and adult contemporary R&B. The use of guitars gives this something of a crossover appeal, while simultaneously, there isn’t a dip in soulfulness. The crowning achievement are those confident, robust baritone vocals.  Legend delivers an expressive, nuanced, and balanced performance.  At times, early on, he exhibits more restraint.  As the song progresses and percolates, he offers more oomph and grit.  Each chorus adds more of that ‘Legendary’ bite, particularly as he incorporates those ripe, ad-libs. Beyond the vocals, the theme is relatable, as it has been throughout Bigger Love – everlasting, unbreakable love.  He sings about the depth of love throughout the verse, overtly confirming it on the catchy, memorable chorus. Another stellar moment comes on the bridge section, which pulls back slightly, before rebuilding the intensity.

Following “Conversations in the Dark” is a tall task. “Don’t Walk Away” featuring Koffee isn’t nearly as moving, period. That said, I appreciate the energy and groove that is brought to the table.  “Don’t Walk Away” finds Legend dabbling in reggae, which is starkly different than the style of music associated with him. I’m not sold on it, mind you, but I like the fact that he takes the risk. ✓ “Remember Us,” is the stronger record, featuring a truly classy, lush sound.  An Al Green sample (with the marvelous production by the late, great Willie Mitchell), fuels the soulful, throwback vibes that best suits Legend.  Grammy-nominated rapper Rapsody is the perfect fit for the sound and vibe of the record.

“I’m Ready”

After “Remember Us,” the 55-minute length, coupled with a lot of love makes Bigger Love grow a bit less interesting. Vibe is one of the selling points of “I’m Ready,” featuring Camper.  While it’s gorgeous, the 14^th track, it could’ve stood too use a bit more punch.  It is 14^th after all and not at the front of the album, where you get the most attention. “I’m Ready” floats along more than it carves out a dominant, truly distinct presence. The penultimate cut “Always” and closer “Never Break” are pleasant, but listening to both, they don’t leave the same lasting impression as “Actions” or “Conversations in the Dark.”  Neither are bad, but they are the product of an album that could’ve used a few edits.

Final Thoughts 

All in all, John Legend makes an overall compelling contemporary R&B album.  The biggest selling point is his voice – he’s absolutely a beast.  Next, I appreciate the risks that he takes throughout Bigger Love.  No, not all of those risks work, but at least he doesn’t merely ‘rinse and repeat’ like some musicians tend to do without evolving.  Love is a great topic for Legend, but Bigger Love overdoes it, making some of the album feel less exciting than it should’ve.  What could’ve improved this album are edits, cutting down the track list and overall duration, and perhaps shaking up the theme a bit more.  Still, as a 16-track, 55-minute album, Legend does lots of things well.

✓ Gems: “Ooh Laa,” “Actions,” “One Life,” “Wild,” “Bigger Love,” “Conversations in the Dark” & “Remember Us”

John Legend • Bigger Love • Columbia • Release: 6.19.20

Photo Credit: Columbia