Album- The 20/20
Experience
Artist- Justin
Timberlake
Justin Timberlake: the ex-boy band member who has a solo
artist probably found even bigger fame, being the guy that every girl really
wants to be with, and the guy that every guy just basically wants to be. New
music from the RnB pop master has been eagerly anticipated for some time, but
with this third studio album he aims to satisfy his fans with a powerful experience,
with grand tracks inspired by the likes of such epic artists as Pink Floyd and
Led Zeppelin. But does Timberlake actually deliver, or is the record just a
prolonged affair that isn’t actually all that good when you get down to it?
Track 1- Pusher Love
Girl
The opening number starts the album off in terms of its
grand tone and finds Timberlake getting into his love driven swing. Lyrically
the track finds Timberlake talking about the power of his girls love and comparing
to it like he is on drugs, with his lyrics and vocals showing how the song is
all about being an ode to sex and love. Vocally the track is really powerful as
Timberlake employs his rich falsetto to great effect, giving off that sense of
him truly being high of the love of his girl. But what really makes the track
is the cool production with its elastic soul groove that is that is driven by
some great use of horns, a squelchy bass line and retro synths that make for a
strong head bopping kind of simple and chilled but powerful groove. The song
also opens up in a great way in terms of the orchestral intro, which feels like
it belongs in a big film piece and so emphasises the grand tone of the record.
And when the futuristic and handclapping hip hop beats take over the funky main
section at the five minute mark we get a strong finish to the track where
Timberlake sensually compares his girl to several narcotics. The only issue is
that the final moments of the track are a little dragged out, but this is only
a minor issue.
4/5
Track 2- Suit &
Tie (featuring Jay Z)
The lead single off the track is both a weird and wonderful
comeback which is on the one hand he is so brilliant and on the other hand what
was he thinking. This is because the funky, soul driven number doesn’t feel as
strong and polished as his past hits. However, in a way it is a great comeback
song in that you get the sense that this is an artist who is just making music
like this because he loves doing it, and in many ways that’s all you want from
an artist. Lyrically the track is an ode to the joys of being handsome and well
dressed, which when broken down into that simple statement it sounds like a
completely weird and potentially stupid subject matter for a track. However
with his powerful falsetto and smooth tone Timberlake makes it sound natural
and right to talk about. The retro feel of the record continues with this track
in which Timberlake’s vocals sit on a nice laidback groove with powerful horn
blasts and finger clicking beats. The track also has a powerful sound in terms
of the slowed down synths and powerful drum beats of the intro that give a big,
start stop rhythm and a sense of grandeur to the track, whilst the outro
completes the track with hypnotic beats. The Jay-Z feature also provides a
little bit of swag and modern chic to the number, making this easily one of the
stand out tracks (and also one of the best in that it’s not directly about this
great girl or love). And although it may not grab you on first listen, after a
few times you will definitely get into it.
4/5
Track 3- Don’t Hold
Up the Wall
With this track the love rush air and falsetto edge of
Timberlake is replaced by a more subdued sound both vocally and in terms of production.
The track starts off in a kind of love way in terms of the “oo la la la” vocal
intro, but this is quickly replaced by some handclapping drums and a forceful
production that is given an Egyptian influence and finds Timberlake singing in
a more to the point way. The lyrically the track finds Timberlake telling his
girl to just let go cause he isn’t as bad as they might say he is, with much of
the lyrics also having a prominent sexual vibe when Timberlake speaks of his
and his girl’s proximity. The vocal performance finds Timberlake in a lower
register, which makes for a cooler listen and emphasises the seriousness of his
statement. And the production is strong in terms of the clattering beats and
exotic flavourings with the distorted background vocals. The lullaby like middle
section is also strong, and the way that this transition the track into a
powerful hip hop based final section makes for an impactful end. However the
track becomes annoying within this final section as it feels dragged out, and
the track also lacks the charm that Timberlake is really known for, even if he
still brings a sensual edge to the track. And the Timbaland ad libs employed
throughout are just plain annoying.
3/5
Track 4- Strawberry
Bubblegum
The fourth track on the record to me kind of feels like a
Pusher Love Girl 2.0 in the way that it kind of has the same ideology, with
Timberlake singing about how great his girl is in a strong metaphorical way.
However this time Timberlake lyrically refers to his girl as being like
strawberry bubblegum and talking about how she is just the best flavour. Either
way the same kind of sentiment is clear, and with his powerful falsetto being
employed again here the essence of believability is again given to the track,
with the slow lyrical stresses of this track also giving a powerful sensual
feel to the track and emphasising the flirtatious element to the lyrics.
However the retro sound of the record her takes more of a backseat, only really
being present through the small violin tones of the record and the kind of old TV
starting up intro that only last for a few second. Instead the production of
the record brings us back to the modern, RnB influenced just of old, with some
cool electro beats and smooth but strong bass, as well as some more
handclapping beats. However this tracks issue lies within about the five minute
mark in which the electro, hip hop production takes place and gives a little
bit of a more fast paced energy. Whilst it makes for a nice finish, this
section of the track doesn’t necessarily add any substance to the track and
also feel quite similar to the previous section of the track, unlike the other
numbers, and so it has that sense of Timberlake just dragging the track out
because he wants to rather than it making for a great listen.
3.5/5
Track 5- Tunnel
Vision
Once again Timberlake is singing about the power of his girl
and how awesome she is, this time comparing her to the idea of tunnel vision
and lyrically speak how his attention is so much on her that it is like he
cannot see anything else and she just sums up his whole world. The track may be
familiar lyrically but the hook is still strong, particularly through the way
it is half spoken by producer Timbaland and half sung by Timberlake, making it
sound like they are a twofold musical force. And vocally the track is great in
the way that the Timberlake transitions throughout the song, with the low sung
verses nicely building into a falsetto driven pre chorus and then settling back
down into a lower sung chorus. The production is also strong with its frenetic
energy and modern sensibilities, with the clattering beats and distorted female
background vocals making for a more intriguing listen. The arrival of the
orchestra into the track makes for a dramatic finish, but unfortunately it is
once again an example of self-indulgent Timberlake as the songs length holds no
benefit for the listener.
3/5
Track 6- Space Coupe
The retro feel of the record comes back into play with this
soul number. But by this point you can become a bit annoyed with Timberlake as
you totally understand how great his girl is and so don’t need to be reminded.
But lyrically with this track Timberlake still wants to do that, singing of how
his girl is so great he just wants to take her into space where they can glide
among the stars and make sweet love. And whilst once again his powerful
falsetto that would arguably melt many a RnB/pop hater works really well in the
track and brings out the sexiness of the song, it isn’t enough for this to be a
song that you need to listen to, more being just a so so number. The production
is cool in terms of the forceful quality of the bass and the grand electric
guitar solo that makes up the bridge and gives and epic feel to the song, but
it’s a little bit safe and familiar. And here the length of the track is just
ridiculous, with the distorted female noises employed in the song being overtly
sexual to the point where it is a little uncomfortable to listen.
2.5/5
Track 7- That Girl
The shortest track on the record is a very old school affair
that beings in a really cool way with a spoken introduction in which Timberlake
is introduced as JT and the Tennessee kids, as if he is performing the track in
a live but intimate club venue. Then the clattering beats and powerful horns
kick in, and the grandness of the track is shown from the very beginning. The
track is another love based number but is a bit more interesting in that
although he stereotypically exclaims of the beauty of that girl there is also a
sense of their love being viewed as wrong, with the lyric “so what if you’re
from the other side of the tracks” perhaps suggesting Timberlake was inspired
by Romeo and Juliet. With his smooth tone and the slow stresses on certain
syllables make for a chilled out and potent listen, with the small rap style
sections also giving a sense of urgency to the love. And for once Timberlake doesn’t
feel the need to keep the song going and so makes for a really well rounded
number, with the fading out of the track making for a cool chilled finish.
3.5/5
Track 8- Let the
Groove Get In
With the powerful and fast paced statements of the songs
hook opening the track and the handclapping beats being much more energetic
than usual, this track stands out more from the other listens in that it is a
little bit different sonically and has a grittier energy. This is perhaps
brought out through the lyrical message of the song, which has a strong sexual
vibe and is all about making sure that Timberlake’s girl is comfortable and
lays there so the groove can get in, a subtle and cheeky smattering of innuendo
that is smart and a welcome pace changer from the more stereotypical and
potentially cheesy love tracks. The production of the track is really great in
terms of its vibrancy, with the background vocals giving the track the epic
feel it needs and sounding similar to Michael Jacksons “Wanna Be Startin’
Somthin”. And the vocal is strong, melding well with the production and giving
a nice intensity to what he is singing.
3.5/5
Track 9- Mirrors
This track brings the record back to Timberlake simply
talking about how amazing and awesome his girl is, with the lyrics of this song
speaking of how Timberlake doesn’t want to lose his girl because she is so
great and they are so in sync it is like he is looking at his reflection when
he is looking at her, because they belong together that much. However with this
track a deeper sense of passion and honesty can be observed in the lyrical
boldness and strong vocal performance of the track, making this definitely one
of the standout moments of the record. The mid tempo pop ballad also sonically
sound great in that whilst it fits comfortably on the record it is also
different and so stands out a little more, being driven strongly by a buoyant
chorus and powerful synths alongside some dramatic string laden melodies.
Vocally Timberlake is also strong in terms of the way he manipulates his voice,
with the layering of his vocals creating some powerful and wonderful elements
of harmonization and the falsetto being kept on a more minimal level that gives
a raw intensity to the number. The final three minutes of the track are again
indulgent and find the falsetto coming in more, but it also works and gives a
sweetness to the track, only getting to the point where you want it to stop
after about nearly 7 minutes in.
4/5
Track 10- Blue Ocean
Floor
The final track is a stereotypical down tempo song that is
given gravitas by the fact that it is the most subdued Timberlake has been on
the entire record, and so feels like a natural end. The deepness of the song
comes out not only in the vocal which has a fragile quality, but also in terms
of the lyrically quality, where we find Timberlake singing about how his woman
just needs to give him a sign and he will find her. The distorted synth driven production
gives a strong sombre tone to the track that fits the lyrics beautifully, and
the use of the violins and sea wave undertones in places also allows for a
dramatic impact that gives a cinematic quality to the song, perhaps an example
of how his focus on acting has also influenced Timberlake’s music. Perhaps the
best thing about this track, however, is that with the final song comes the
most fleshed out tune, with the length of the song sounding really natural and
never at any point getting to the place where you are like ok Justin that’s
enough. With the small issue of the hook being a little too repetitive, this is
still a beautiful end to the record.
4/5
Final Review
When he said he was going to take us on an experience in
terms of the title, Mr Timberlake was not lying. The question is, is it the
right experience? On the one hand he shows that he has a strong passion for his
music and creates powerful lyrical messages matched with strong production that
blends the retro and the modern to great effect. And throughout the entire
album he knows exactly how to use his voice and gives a charming quality to the
record that emphasises why he is highlighted as one of the best artists of the
21st Century. However, in many ways the album is annoying in that
the record is heavily based upon the idea of love, particularly for this one
girl, and so after a while the lyrics and overall sound begin to feel too
familiar and songs just feel like they have been reshaped into a slightly
different form when they are basically the same thing. Furthermore, he may have
looked to artists like Led Zeppelin for inspiration in terms of the length of
the tracks, buts in almost every case at some point you just wish he would have
ended the track you are listening to sooner, and you get the sense that he is
just being self-indulgent. So while he creates a cohesive and potentially
innovative record that does show he deserves his place in the musical sphere,
he also creates a record that is unbalanced by prolonged sounds and rehashed
ideas that show that for his next record he needs to sharpen up and make
shorter, to the point RnB, pop extravaganzas like “Cry Me A River” (and to do
that he may need to start tapping into some negative emotions, cause the best
music normally stems from those kinds of places)
6/10
Best Track- Mirrors
Worst Track- Space
Coupe
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