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Rating: A damp and icy sky outside (the kind that makes your nose tingle), the warmth of a soft, cozy bed inside... and a disc in the player spinning and warming with its embracing groove. It's John Legend singing, measured talent full of voice and piano... and the two lovers smile at each other through the covers, tightly wrapped in a warm winter embrace. This image inspires me "Once Again", the second and last studio album from the 'legend' of Springfield in Ohio; mountains of pillows and blankets and the joy sketched in a smile as evening falls.
"Once Again" will be your winter album if you plan to spend the next "cold evenings" this way because the atmosphere is relaxed, warmly engaging and dreamy, vibrant and melodious. It's a call to intimacy as can be felt from the very first "Save Room" which opens the way with its driving organ. Chosen as a single, it will make us fall in love from the first listens. Apt and perfect. Along with the very delicate "Show Me", almost whispered religiously, the splendid "We Just Don't Care" deserves mention where Legend's piano glides masterfully over his increasingly captivating and sensual voice. Beautiful are also the sweet all-piano lullaby, "Where Did My Baby Go", and the concluding "Coming Home" which moves adopting the semblance of almost a sacred hymn among gospel choirs and a hinted emotional tension. With "Stereo" and more particularly with "Slow Dance", the tone changes. The rhythm takes over and modern-day R&B meets "reggae-tinged" choirs creating a soft and sexy dance accompanied by a voice that slowly envelops us, scratching the skin. The only less successful episodes of the very good "Once Again": the slightly underwhelming duet with Mary J. Blige ("King & Queen") and the too poppy "Heaven" that fails to take off due to an occasionally annoying refrain.
Legend's style unfolds discreetly and evenly throughout his latest production, and it's precisely this that seduces about him. He sings and plays with such naturalness and spontaneity that it seems as if he has done just this all his life. He is young, direct, and his sophisticated soul-pop pleasantly tickles us, playing at reminding us of the great past melodies of the 60s Motown perfectly combining a clear voice with a determined soul.
Quick to make it yours, there are so many spirits to warm, and the cold winter is at the door!!!
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
03 Stereo (04:11)
Yo yo
Yo yo
Yo yo
She's a fast love professional
Crafty, bold and beautiful
Staged right, locked eyes
I swear it's magical
Her name is Melanie
Says she digs my melodies
Likes how I move
Thinks I'm cool
That's what she says to me
Big stage, bright lights, short love long nights
Frequent flights through the skies to see stars
I come back to town
She's hangin' around
It still feels so real but it can't go too far
Her favorite colours be platinum and gold
She only loves in stereo, she only loves in stereo
I should know 'cause I've seen it before
I think I gotta let her go
She only loves her stereo
Oh, oh
Oh, oh
Oh, oh
Turned on the video
Oh my goodness there she goes
Now I'm hot, seems I'm not the only one she knows
Name droppin' everyday
But I still want her anyway
I like how she moves
Think she's cool
My favorite getaway
Big stage, bright lights, short love long night
Deja vu, yeah, we do it again
Off to the next town
She's on to the next round
Let it go
We both know that it's all gonna end, oh
Her favorite colours be platinum and gold
She only loves in stereo, she only loves in stereo
I should know cuz I've seen it before
I think I gotta let her go
She only loves her stereo
Oh, oh
Oh, oh
Oh, oh
Oh, oh
Oh, oh
Oh, oh
She fell in love with the radio
It wasn't really me
So I had to let her go
Just ask any DJ back in her hometown
She likes to get around
Just watch as she gets down
Her favorite colours be platinum and gold
She only loves in stereo, she in loves her stereo
I should know cuz I've seen it before
I think I gotta let her go
She only loves in stereo
Oh, oh
Oh, oh
She loves her stereo
(I think I gotta let her go)
Oh, oh
Oh, oh (ohh)
She loves in stereo
(I think I gotta let her go)
Oh, oh
Oh, oh
She loves in stereo
Oh, oh
Oh, oh
She loves in stereo
07 P.D.A. (We Just Don't Care) (04:41)
Let's go to the park
I wanna kiss you underneath the stars
Maybe we'll go too far
We just don't care,
We just don't care,
We just don't care.
You know I love you when you're loving me
Sometimes it's better when it's publicly
I'm not ashamed, I don't care who sees
Us hugging & kissing our love exhibition all
We'll rendezvous out on the fire escape
I'd like to set off an alarm today
The love emergency don't make me wait
Just follow I'll lead you
I urgently need you
Let's go to the park
I wanna kiss you underneath the stars
Maybe we'll go too far
We just don't care
We just don't care
We just don't
Let's make love, let's go somewhere they might discover us
Let's get lost in lust
We just don't care,
We just don't care,
We just don't care.
I see you closing down the restaurant
Let's sneak and do it when your boss is gone
Everybody's leaving we'll have some fun
Or maybe it's wrong but you're turning on.
Ooh, we'll take a visit to your Mama's house
Creep to the bedroom while your Mama's out
Maybe she will hear it when we scream and shout
And we'll keep it rocking until she comes knocking
Let's go to the park
I wanna kiss you underneath the stars
Maybe we'll go too far
We just don't care,
We just don't care,
We just don't...
Let's make love,
Let's go somewhere they might discover us.
Let's get lost in lust
We just don't care,
We just don't care,
We just don't care.
If we keep up on this fooling around
We'll be the talk of the town
I'll tell the world I'm in love any time
Let's open up the blinds 'cause we really don't mind
Ooh I don't care about the propriety
Let's break the rules and ignore society
Maybe our neighbor like to spy, it's true
So what if they watch when we do what we do
Oh, let's go to the park
I wanna kiss you underneath the stars
Maybe we'll go too far
We just don't care,
We just don't care,
We just don't...
10 Maxine (04:28)
I happened to notice a girl in a light shade of blue
I happened to see her, the sight of her leaves me confused
She may not be you
But she looks just like you
You should've seen the way she wore her dress
And her white stiletto shoes
You should've seen the way they looked on her
Just like the ones that I bought you
I searched for days on end to no avail
'Til I found them in Peru
She must've been to Lima just as well
Because she had them too
You should've seen her eyes, her lips, her face
She looked as sweet as honeydew
You should've seen the way she walked away
Oh, she swayed her hips like you
I was only several steps from her
But she never noticed me
I took another sip of fine liqueur
It was quite a sight to see
I happened to notice a girl in a light shade of blue
I happened to see her, the sight of her leaves me confused
She may not be you
But she looks just like you
You should've seen the way he stroked her hair
And the smile that lit her face
You should've seen the way he kissed her lips
Did it have the same sweet taste?
Though my mid, it might be running wild
In constant search of you
It's funny how my eyes keep seeing things my heart
Would not believe are true
I happened to notice a man in a dark shade of blue
Who happened to be with a woman who leaves me confused
She may not be you
But she looks just like you
Maxine, she looks just like you
Maxine, she looks just like you
Maxine, Maxine
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