John Legend isn't much older his R&B counterparts, and with just one album under his belt, he certainly isn't the most accomplished.

But there's an old-soul charm about Legend that recalls a seasoned veteran — a musician from another, more sophisticated era. Though his 2004 Grammy-winning debut, "Get Lifted", covered a lot of familiar territory — cheating, relationship drama, and the dangers of a gold-digger — there was nothing common about his musical approach. From his rich, slightly raspy tenor to his piano-based melodies to his literary lyrics, Legend engaged not only the ears, but the heart and mind.

The singer-songwriter continues to captivate with his sophomore album, "Once Again". This time around, the hip-hop flavour which gave Legend's debut a little spice, courtesy of mentor Kanye West, is absent. While West still contributes artistically, Legend's focus is more on timeless, soulful grooves.

Part of that is due to clever sampling of obscure oldies, which loop in the kind of rich arrangement that defined much of '60s and '70s soul. This is put to good use on tracks like the first single, "Save Room", and the romantic, pleading "Heaven". But even on original songs, it's clear that Legend, who wrote or co-wrote all the tracks, was reaching for an old-school sound.

The song "Show Me", which looks to heavens for guidance, has a tone that recalls Stevie Wonder in his prime; the brooding but melodic "Where Did My Baby Go" and the make-up groove "Slow Dance" have a doo-wop feel. And "Maxine" has a bossa nova beat — you can almost imagine Legend performing it in a leisure suit on a black-and-white screen.

Sometimes, though, the effect is a little too dated — as if the tracks had just been dusted off from some Motown or Atlantic archive. While they are still appealing, ballads like "Again" almost sound a bit too genteel.

Which is why "Stereo" — the most contemporary song on the album — is so invigorating and necessary. Another track about a woman looking for a sugar daddy, it booms with bravado and has Legend singing with the kind of swagger one would expect from a 27-year-old old. It injects the album with much-needed youth "oomph" factor and street flair, without sacrificing Legend's impeccable style.

The album ends on a bittersweet note with "Coming Home", a timely ode about a soldier anticipating his return from war. Written with the Black Eyed Peas' Will.i.am, who also co-wrote Legend's breakthrough ballad "Ordinary People", the stirring song could be an anthem for a legion of soldiers, yet it is intensely personal and intimate and seems to speak on an individual level.

With "Once Again", Legend has once again defined himself as one of the brightest singer-songwriters of his generation, taking a bit of past as inspiration for his artistic future.John Legend, "Once Again" (Columbia)