In the summer of 2008, the presidential election race drew many reactions from Americans: some were inspired, some were horrified, some just slept through it. The Roots and John Legend, meanwhile, decided to celebrate the prevailing atmosphere of hope by making a new album. And what these empowered citizens produced is "Wake Up!," an album of '60s and '70s soul classics that's both funky and thought-provoking. The record is an attempt, as Legend says in the liner notes, to "make an album that [speaks] to the times in which we live."
-So how do The Roots and John Legend feel about our moment? Apparently it's complicated - "Wake Up!" conveys a full range of emotions. The album opens darkly with "Hard Times," and a note of desperation pervades much of the record. It recurs most pointedly on "Little Ghetto Boy," which finds The Roots' emcee, Black Thought, rapping about his own childhood in the best verse on the album.
At times this desperation is compounded by anger, confusion and bitterness. These negative emotions culminate in the 11-minute opus "I Can't Write Left Handed." The song opens with Legend wailing on a soulful backing track, but really gets going after guitarist Cap'n Kirk Douglas takes control of the track with a jangling, distorted solo. The solo builds to a frantic crescendo as Legend's voice gets increasingly tattered and distraught, conveying all the hurt and confusion of a dying man shot by a faceless enemy far from home.
This negativity is not allowed to carry the day, however, as it is tempered by a strong message of hope - a hope that The Roots and Legend emphasize throughout the whole album. This sense of optimism ranges from hell-yeah enthusiasm ("Our Generation") to life-sucks-but-is-still-worth-living grittiness ("Hang On In There"), but regardless of how it is presented, the listener comes away from the album with a general message of hope that reflects the "Yes We Can" atmosphere in which it was born.
But as much as the thought process behind "Wake Up!" is its strength, it is also its major failing. It is an over-earnest and sometimes over-wrought album. This very self-aware record at times sounds like it is striving much too hard to be something it's not. It is a collection of timely soul covers by a group of gifted artists, not a revelation handed down from on high to the desperate masses.
The long and short is that once you get over its self-important attitude, "Wake Up!" is well worth a listen. The reverence shown to the original material is obvious to the listener, but the album doesn't get bogged down in the past. This is a Roots and John Legend album, not just an album of covers that The Roots and Legend happened to make. And if "Wake Up!" doesn't make you nod your head, you should probably see a doctor soon.
4 Paws
Pros: Meticulously crafted songs with an on-his-game John Legend singing his heart out.
Cons: At times overdone (just check out the last lines of Common's otherwise good guest verse).
Download this: "Hang On In There," "I Can't Write Left Handed," "Wake Up Everybody."
Read More
Princeton Zoning Board of Adjustment approves renovations to Tower and Charter Clubs
Sena Chang and Isaac BernsteinOn March 27, the Municipality of Princeton’s Zoning Board of Adjustment approved construction developments for Tower Club and Charter Club. Renovations for both clubs are aimed towards improving accessibility.
On March 27, the Municipality of Princeton’s Zoning Board of Adjustment approved construction developments for Tower Club and Charter Club. Renovations for both clubs are aimed towards improving accessibility.
Students support local businesses with new platform Zage
Jack AllenAfter hearing about the struggles faced by a number of these restaurants after students left campus in mid-March, Dilbagi created Zage, an online platform that allows community members to send money to local businesses now to redeem as credits on their purchases in the future.
This fall, go beyond the 'Bubble'
Dora ZhaoEven though classes are picking up, weekends are the perfect time for students to escape the Orange Bubble. While going out to eat on Nassau is enjoyable, there is so much to see beyond Princeton. For those looking for a day trip or a chance to explore the area outside of Princeton, here is a list of ideas to do this fall.