NEW ALBUM INFORMATION
Name: Evolver
Date release: October 28, 2008
First single: Green Light (feat. André 3000) listen | download | lyrics
Second single: "If You're Out There"
(produced by Trevor Horn and Devo Springsteen featuring the Agape Choir) listen



Tracklist (in no particular order):
(these are being considered for the album; it's not confirmed yet which will make the final cut)
• "SATISFACTION"
His breathy vocals evoke a mix of Sting and Seal on this romantic groove produced by will.i.am. "It's the first song I did for the new album," Legend says. "I told will I wanted to do something synthy and driving, taking the best elements of the '80s but making it current." On this mid-tempo groove, Legend tells his lady to do more than just say she loves him. He wants her to show him. He wants some satisfaction. The song arguably boasts the album’s best bridge, which makes the good amazing.
• "GREEN LIGHT" (feat. André 3000)
A flirtatious cameo by André 3000 — and irresistible, booty-shakin' production by newcomers Malay and KP — has made this suggestive come-on a strong first-single contender. ''André's verse is flawless. He nailed the sentiment of the song, put the right amount of his mojo on it. I feel like he's making his rhyming comeback.''
• "THE ONLY ONE''
Legend instantly fell in love with the jagged and abstract keyboard arrangement of this seductive track, produced by Rich Harrison (Beyoncé, Amerie). ''It's about a girl who's basically single, but she's seeing different people. And I'm putting in my bid to be her man — not a competitor for being her man, but her man.''
• ''FLOATING AWAY''
Ne-Yo co-wrote this hip-hop soul jam, which features layered vocals, a funky drumbeat, and a plunking keyboard riff. ''I think Ne-Yo's one of the best songwriters out right now, and I'm not too proud to collaborate with somebody else that's really good. I'm trying to make the best album I can make. I've written great songs before, and I wrote great songs for this album. So I don't have to prove to anybody that I have to write every single lyric that I sing.''
• ''EVERYBODY KNOWS''
This song got some stabbing drums, guitar strums, layered chorus that swells as Mr. Legend sings “I wish we gave it one more try.” Mid-tempo cut about ending a relationship that’s obviously destined for failure.
• ''I LOVE, YOU LOVE''
This ballad is throwback Legend, and primed for the quiet storm hours on radio.
• ''NO OTHER LOVE'' (feat. Estelle)
Legend and his musical protege from across the pond play couple, confessing their love for each other on this bouncy, reggae-like track. Reggae beat, Estelle = niceness!
• ''CROSS THE LINE''
Producer will.i.am broke out the Three6 Mafia drums on this one.
• ''GOOD MORNING''
This jam is all about good morning loving. "I love “Good Morning.” I was writing with India Arie’s music director, Drew Ramsey, in Atlanta and he played a song called “Let’s Make Good Morning Love.” So I said, let’s change it around to say “Good Morning” so it wouldn’t be so obvious. It’s a good song for couples because anybody that sleeps with somebody knows that sometimes you wake up and you want to do it." "“Good morning” is a slow stripper song, so it might have to be the lap dance song. It’s not for the stage, but it could be sexy for the lap dance."
Over light horns Legend tries to smooth talk his mattress-mate in to staying in bed a little while longer to watch the sunrise and maybe continue where they left off on the night prior.
• ''AIM HIGH''
Back to classic, through acoustic instruments and surprisingly, The Neptunes produced it.
• ''IT'S OVER'' (feat. Kanye West)
Perhaps the most funky and triumphant rejection song ever, Kanye, with the help of the voice augmenting vocoder, dumps his girl saying they are like “Jay-Z and Def Jam” as Legend repeatedly sings, “Why do you keep calling me?” Written by Pharrell Williams.
• ''IF YOU'RE OUT THERE''
John calls it "a political anthem". "It's a progression. It feels bigger than the other albums. It's hard to say exactly what that means. It just feels expansive." Evolver’s lone socially conscious track. Legend calls all who are willing to join in efforts to better our world. JL said it is very much inspired by the upcoming elections in the USA and that he will be helping Obama and the democratic party to get as many people to register and vote as possible.
• ''THIS TIME''
An absolute classic JL ballad with string arrangements by the great Larry Gold, the famous guy from Philly's MFSB. Legend promises to be the man his love interest always needed on this airy ballad.
• ''TAKE ME AWAY''
Legend heroically whisks a troubled beauty away from a bad relationship and takes her to lover’s land on this simple, sweet cut.
• ''OPERATE''
This song is being considered for the new album; John is not sure if it will make the final cut, though. You can listen to a few secs of it here.


Quotes:
• The songs don’t sound like me. Once Again was mellower, this one’s production is a little more up tempo and more pop than the last one. In some ways, it’s more urban sounding than Once Again. Though I think the first album, Get Lifted, was blacker than second or third, this one is more commercial than the first two.
• I was trying to make good songs and they came out this way. This is the mood I’m in right now. The mood of the last album was a romantically nostalgic and I feel like having more fun on this album.
• We think we have at least six singles. Even with Get Lifted we released four singles, and then with Once Again we released six and we’ll probably do six this time.
• "Green Light" is the danciest song I got going here. There's still the slow jam ballads people expect to love from me. Some hip-hop you missed. Some of the attitudes are harder and darker, some of it's more romantic than usual. I even got a political anthem on this — "If You're Out There." It's a progression. It feels bigger than the other albums. It's hard to say exactly what that means. It just feels expansive.
• (The songs are quite beat heavy. We were told the Americans want him to do more of that for commercial reasons) It was primarily my own choice and I feel very competitive about the hits.


Links
• Parlour Magazine
• CBS4 Denver
• Entertainment Weekly
• Vibe


Special thanks to
• Kees