Last summer, while fans continued to aimlessly pine away for new music, Justin Timberlake was secretly slaving away in the recording studio on what we now know to be “The 20/20 Experience”, the singer’s third album. A whole seven years have gone by since Timberlake brought “sexy back” with his highly sexual, fashionably futuristic sophomore album, and after a few rumored comebacks, it seemed like Justin would be sticking to acting for good and possibly dropping music altogether (gasp!).
That is, until January 14th of this year… The arrival of the first single from “The 20/20 Experience”, “Suit & Tie”. The five-minute track featuring rapper Jay-Z, received pretty lukewarm reviews at best. With all the hype leading up to its release, it wasn’t seen as the most groundbreaking, or mind-blowing thing around, but frankly, it’s JT getting back into the swing of things and ultimately finding his groove again. According to Justin, the album “goes in a lot of different directions” with glimmers of both Justified and FutureSex/LoveSounds present throughout. Teaming up once again with longtime friend and producer Timbaland, the two have created a body of work full of smooth R&B at its finest and a fluid, effortless falsetto. What could be better than that?
So, what did we really think of “The 20/20 Experience”?
On average, the songs on The 20/20 Experience have average lengths of seven minutes (heck if Led Zeppelin and Queen can do it, why can’t JT?) and are characterized by vamps, abrupt key changes, and unexpected rhythms and harmonies.
The music not only incorporates samples of piano, but distorted voices, and buzzing electronic sounds with elements of older soul music, including resonant voiceovers, lush string and horn arrangements, high-pitched guitar solos, and squelching analog synthesizers.
“Pusher Love Girl”, the opening track was first performed on the Grammy Awards early last month and in the tune, Justin plays a junkie high off the love of his girl, comparing her to that of a drug. On the outro, he sings, “My heroine, my cocaine, my plum wine, my MDMA. I’m hopped up on it, won’t go away. Now I can’t wait till I get you home and get you in my veins.” The easy delivery combined with neo-soul feel will have listeners, er, addicted, to say the least.
Then there’s “Don’t Hold The Wall”, which has a lot going on, even at 7 minutes and 10 seconds long! Rainsticks, tribal chants, and even crickets chirping are all present as a breathy Timberlake prowls through the club, trying to flirt with someone who’s hesitant to approach the dance floor, while on “Strawberry Bubblegum”, he’s back to the lovey-dovey thoughts of a happily married man.
Sensual…obsessive…voyeuristic. All perfect words to describe the fifth track, “Tunnel Vision”, an ode to Timberlake’s other half. In the song, he stresses, “all I see is you”. And he makes the cosmos sound oh so sexy on “Spaceship Coupe” (which only has room for two), a track complete with pornstar-esque moans and an electric guitar solo around the 3:45 mark. “We’ll cruise around, land, and make love on the moon,” he proclaims during the hook.
Making our way into the latter portion of “The 20/20 Experience”, JT continues to explore some more different genres and sounds. An undeniable Michael Jackson influence can be felt on the eighth track, “Let The Groove Get In”. The 7-minute song pops off with horns and propulsive percussion before Justin’s vocals bring you into a world of rolling beats and textures. If this song doesn’t make you dance in any way, you’re approaching it all wrong! Let the groove get in you! It’ll be interesting to see the response to this jam live in concert.
Finally, we get to “Mirrors” and “Blue Ocean Floor”, the two closing tracks. The first is the current single and sweet tribute to newly-wed wife, Jessica Biel (as is the majority of this album), all the way up until the breakdown where he endlessly repeats, “You are, you are, the love, of my life,” as if he has just soaked in the splendid finality of his romantic situation. The latter ends things on an unexpected somber note. It’s beautifully pensive and shows growth and maturity from a musician we’ve seen evolve from the days of The Mickey Mouse Club and NSYNC till now.
As a whole, The 20/20 Experience is diversely enjoyable. It was easily one of the year’s most anticipated releases, and with the help of Timbaland’s solid production, Justin Timberlake has paved the way for a fantastic comeback. It may not be FutureSex/LoveSounds Part 2, but it’s not the last we’ll be seeing or hearing from Justin. The Legends of Summer Tour kicks off in July, and sometime this fall, the second volume of The 20/20 Experience will be released, so keep your eyes and ears tuned in for that.
Justin’s back, baby.
- Pusher Love Girl: 5/5
- Suit & Tie: 4.5/5
- Don’t Hold The Wall: 4.5/5
- Strawberry Bubblegum: 4/5
- Tunnel Vision: 4.5/5
- Spaceship Coupe: 4/5
- That Girl: 4/5
- Let The Groove Get In: 4.5/5
- Mirrors: 5/5
- Blue Ocean Floor: 4/5
Overall Rating of “The 20/20 Experience”: 4/5
Pick Three: Mirrors, Pusher Love Girl, Don’t Hold The Wall
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