A latest release reviewed

JOHN LEGEND
Get Lifted Columbia
****

As if John Stephens's contributions to Kanye West's blockbusting College Dropout album or his previous work with Lauryn Hill and Alicia Keys were not enough to be going on with, his début album offers many reasons to sit up and take notice. His is a silky, graceful, elegant voice, with distinct echoes of Marvin Gaye and Sam Cooke in places. It's the kind of voice that can sweetly turn tunes such as It Don't Have To Change into majestic, gospel-charged, top-of-the-mountain hallelujahs at the drop of a hat. Legend's début may be short on bangers, but it's long on the sweeping, swooning epic moments you get when luxurious melodies and rich, sumptuous soul come together. Proof that some music-makers have not lost their soul. www.johnlegend.com

Jim Carroll