Justin Timberlake - The 20/20 Experience
 

My first review! :) :tramp:

I would just like to preface this review by telling you all that I don't think I have ever just sat down and listened to a whole album. By nature, I love the pop and glamour associated with singles, and I very rarely find stuff I like deep in the depths of albums. The exception to this is Madonna. Her other tracks have always been better than the singles.

In any case, I'm gonna listen to the whole album start to finish so that I can fit in. BAM!

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...lake_album.jpg

Release year: 2013

1. Pusher Love Girl
2. Suit & Tie
3. Don't Hold the Wall
4. Strawberry Bubblegum
5. Tunnel Vision
6. Spaceship Coupe
7. That Girl
8. Let the Groove Get In
9. Mirrors
10. Blue Ocean Floor

Pusher Love Girl
As the album's opener, I do appreciate the great instrumentals and classic JT vocals on this track. That said, it's also incredibly boring for me. It's got a doo-wop feel, and that makes it sound a bit dated. What is a pusher love girl, anyway? I love JT's outros generally, and I do I like this outro too. I just wish the whole thing was a bit more epic than it seems. It's not exactly dance-able, either. This would basically make good background music to a sort of weird sex or while cooking. That's the best I can do with it.

Suit & Tie
Now we're sliding more into an R&B style, which reminds me more or the direction I wanted JT to go in. I love the instrumental, but this song is not catchy enough, plan and simple. That said, it does have some degree of uniqueness. But for some weird reason this and the track before it makes it seem like Justin became an old person. I can see why people like it, though. Especially if they like 80s lounge music also. This is morning music in any case. I may download this track (illegally) just so I can listen to it with breakfast on Saturday. I'll delete it after that probably.

Don't Hold the Wall
Starts out very N*SYNC. Then becomes tribal. Again with the weird lingo...what does it mean to hold the wall? Is that like hanging out in the corner? Anyway I'm loving this one so far, but it again lacks a hook. JT is asking us to dance, but this song, again, is not super danceable. I can't even picture a bunch of people dancing to this. If they did, it would be in slow motion, and kind of tribal. With fire dancers. The second half of the song is sample-y and cool. You might like it. Still, I'm tempted to just hold the wall on this one. ;)

Strawberry Bubblegum
Oooo, I love the opening thing from JT on this one. "Mellow, mellow, mellow, mellow..." Very nice. I didn't want to say it, but it seemed that I would like this track based on the title alone. My suspicions were accurate. It is sexy, cool, and very, very danceable. It kinda reminds me of eating a pancake with metled butter and syrup...and strawberries, of course. My favorite so far. Just listening to it makes me feel a little more feminine than I did before. :love: This song really makes me think the critics who are saying Timbaland and Timberlake are doing their usual thing are way off base. This is unlike anything either has produced, imo.

Tunnel Vision
Aaaand we're back to the modern and classy porn soundtrack sound I'm used to. In terms of porn background music, this album is (so far) blowing them out of the water. In terms of a strong pop album, it's drowning a bit in parts. There's nothing really likable about this track. I like the idea of Tunnel Vision when JT sees me, though. YES! PICK ME!! WHO NEEDS YER WIFE! Oh!! The orchestral bits toward the end of the bridge are very very nice. This is a welcome surprise. More violin please!! No? Okay. Moving on.

Spaceship Coupe
This definitely has a space feel in the first ten seconds. Who knew the world "alienate" could be used like that? This song is also sexy, but Strawberry Bubblegum was better. Its pacing is slow, but well-managed. The vocals on this particular track actually care it really well. But again, this is basically only good for a quiet sexy night in. At the end, really weird breathing. Not a fan of this one.

That Girl
Marvin Gaye much? This track is not like the others. Why? Because it is effing weird. This is also the first song not moving like a turtle the entire time. It speeds up - just a little bit - at some points. Bravo, JT. Bravo. Still, the lyrics here are just mad cheesy. Come on JT, you used to be so ahead of the times!

Let the Groove Get In
Whaaaaaaaaaat....? *dances like crazy* Finally a song I can jam hardcore to! Okay, if you listen to nothing else on the album, at least give this song a listen. It is absolutely delicious. It almost makes up for the milder porn stuff. This is no porn soundtrack! This is the sound of crazy love! Turns out this song also samples an African track from Burkina Faso. APPROVE.

Mirrors
I really like Mirrors, and I think this song is really beautiful, genuine, and easy to listen to. The opening bit is absolutely adorable. The only problem with the song overall is that it sounds too much like JT's older stuff. For that reason, when it plays on my recent shuffle list, I get a sense of nostalgia and feel a certain "knowing". It's a very strange sensation. The song is great all the same, I'm just not sure if it's good to like someone's old self that much. I should be embracing JT's evolution, not relishing his past. At least, that's how I would want it to be, if I were a musician. Also. I don't love the outro. All in all, the epicness one would expect from the creators of "Lovestoned." FINALLY.

Blue Ocean Floor
Is that JT? His voice is very different at some parts of this song. Aaaaaand it's weird. This one seems to be a crowd pleaser though, with 50% of the youtube comments about the album referring to the "greatness" of this song. I don't feel it. Haaaa...toward the end it does get a bit better, with the vocal coming in much stronger and a very sad violin solo happening in parallel. Aw, he seems very sad now. Aw, what a way to end an album. Wow. This was an experience.

Overall (tl;dr): The album definitely has something for older Justin fans, but not much. It's likely that the album will attract a new/younger audience, or it will appeal to really die-hard fans that see no wrong with the beauty of this man. Well, I'm one of the latter. I'm buying this and I will listen to it again and again until I fall in love. Or, I'll go to a concert. Because Justin does things to the studio recordings in concert that...well it's unbelievable. You wouldn't believe me anyway.

6.5/10

Enjoyed that. Not my sort of thing but you did a good job on the review, was fun to read. Plenty of lols in there.

^ That's something I'd say haha

:) Thanks for the feedback, fluffehhh!

You know, its hard for me to dislike The 20/20 Experience when its obvious that Justin really wanted to give mainstream R&B a nice shakedown and remind the world that music that actually tries is more interesting in the long-run than yet another record that was designed for the sole purpose of filling up slots on Top 40 radio.

That being said, I think Justin has the same problem that Frank Ocean does: two modern and obviously talented guys who want to be Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder respectively, but not enough cohesive ideas to make the longer tracks click as much I think they should. 'Pusher Love Girl', 'Let The Groove Get In' and 'Spaceship Coupe' are all quite savory though, no doubt about it!

Also, I don't think Timbaland's hyper-rhythmic production style gels effectively from song-to-song here, especially in light of some of the other really top-class R&B records that have come out recently. Take More Than Words by Brian McKnight for instance: that baddass has adopted a Maxwell-meets-Steely Dan aesthetic that really brings out the best in his songwriting. The 20/20 Experience, unfortunately, feels almost as if its forcing itself at times. Timberlake needs to go take a few leaves out of the classic 80's approach to R&B or go listen to some razor sharp modern prog. rock for future deep-cut endeavor inspiration methinks. :D

That being said, great review and I enjoyed the album on the whole: I just don't think it's going to make everyone's AOTY list come December, especially with all the great music in a variety of genres that's coming our way over the next few months...

Justin Timberlake > Michael Jackson

Aye, people need to take the nostalgia filters off. Channel ORANGE beat everything Stevie Wonder did, and the 20/20 Experience beats out everything Wacko Jacko put out.

Channel who? Stevie Wonder demands an apology this minute. New Timberlake is ok, more jazzy then I would have imagined. A few standouts, but nothing that could ever touch Stevie Wonder in a million years.

Eh, don't sweat 'em Freddy. They're just trollin'. :)

(And if they weren't, then they probably haven't really sat down with Off The Wall, Thriller, Innervisions, etc....if at all. Its easy to write off albums you've never really dug into after all!)

I said JT > MJ. Disagree with Frank > Stevie.

My opinion is that both Frank Ocean and JT are stronger artists. They understand the music better; know when to let it breathe, have incredibly versatile vocal ranges and I know this may seem shallow given the technological advancements since the days of Inversions but the production is so much smoother, well rounded and layered.

There's no doubt MJ and Wonder were great 'singers' but as artists I find them to be rather one dimensional compared with JT and Frank who have better and more diverse ranges and aren't prone to the filler that Stevie and MJ put on some of their albums because they lacked the depth to keep up the standard throughout.

Besides just because an album is 20/30 years older than another, doesn't make it better. Hence the nostalgia comment I made.

How old or new an album really has nothing to do with it: Thriller and Off The Wall are incredible albums from both a production and engineering standpoint: that the songs aren't half-bad either is merely icing on the cake. Lets be honest here too: your preference for Ocean and JT has nothing to do with the quality of the music itself (because that's a subjective observation to begin with), and whilst I can agree with you that the majority of MJ's post-Thriller output lacks punch, any musician out there would give an arm, a leg and even a kidney to cut even ONE album in their life half as good as MJ's classic output.

I'm arguing in favor of merit and context here. You need to take into consideration that MJ had the help of gods like drummer Jeff Porcaro and Quincy Jones to get the best out of his material, and neither Ocean or JT are working with anyone as good as pros like them. The whole "80's" sound aside, Thriller would have been a monstrous record in any decade just from the lineup alone: its almost as if it were destined to be an album that superseded its own potential on the commercial front....and its a feat nobody will be able to replicate for centuries at this rate. It is the world's first and only example that an album could be interesting, progressive and intricately crafted and still smash the Beatles catalogue to smithereens on the sales front in mere weeks.

The production was one of the reasons. I pointed out it was perhaps shallow as the technological advancements utilized by Ocean and JT were unavailable when Stevie and Wacko Jacko were recording, although I feel they wouldn't have been used to their fullest if they had. MJ especially strikes me as someone who probably let others plot his music for him in terms of composition and song structure.

I genuinely believe both Channel ORANGE and 20/20 are better than Thriller and Inversions respectively, this does not make me wrong. It is my opinion. It is not correct that the latter two are better either. It's not that I prefer the former because they are newer I prefer them to the reasons outlined in my first post.

Honestly, I don't know how those two people you mentioned are. I just know what sounds slicker, more well rounded and more complete to me as an album and it isn't Thriller. I've always felt of Thriller as being incredibly gimmicky, I appreciate MJ as an entertainer and recognize the impact he's had but as a musician, when he wasn't shrouding himself in gimmicks - he was incredibly weak.

Wonder was obviously different. He was a singer who was all about the music, but I felt he lacked the charisma and intrigue to make his music interesting. It may seem like a double edged sword, MJ had too much character, Wonder had too little but they both struggled with the balance. That's why I feel MJ is too contrived and Wonder is just pretty dull. I have the same issue with Wonder as I do with Marvin Gaye. I appreciate the music, but it's just not that interesting to me. What you hear on the surface is all there is, Frank Ocean and JT are more like icebergs where there's much more going on then what one would immediately hear.

Well, the weird thing about MJ is that he was a pretty messed up human being on the whole...but the second you put him into a recording studio or got him on stage, he became a razor sharp, incredibly focused individual. He wrote a lot of his own material, but what was interesting was how good his instincts were about songs others would write for him as well. Everyone was always in awe of him apparently.

Anyway, I agree with you for the most part by the way, but I'd definitely recommend people to go watch a documentary or two about the making of Thriller: pretty fascinating stuff all n' all. :beer:

yeah, I mean I appreciate Thriller as an entertainment spectacle and the impact it has had on the music industry. The video for the title track really brought home the importance of music videos and MJ is as revered as a dancer as he is a singer which is saying something about the way he was able to conduct himself as an entertainer.
I went through a stage when I was younger of listening to a lot of MJ, but his music lacked a great substance to keep my intrigue for a sustained period of time. I feel like I almost outgrew MJ when I heard other things.

But, in my opinion from a strictly musical standpoint the 20/20 Experience & Channel ORANGE are superior to Thriller.

I personally would have no interest whatever in Timberlake's music but I must congratulate you miss poptart on one of the most engaging, funny, fresh and enjoyable reviews I've read in a long time. Your enthusiasm for the music comes through solidly, and the review positively crackled with energy and fun. I love the idea of you finally coming across a track you can dance to and going mad dancing.

You should think about starting a journal. I'm serious.
Well done.
:clap:

I liked JT's first single. I remember he said he was going solo and everyone thought it was going to be crap and it was actually very good :D

Well put. I think it's hard for me to dislike the album for the same reason. He really doesn't have anything to lose nowadays, and I like that he's sort of going in his own direction.

Hahah if only. Where do you think Timbaland got the inspiration for FutureSex/LoveSounds?

Thanks! I guess I should try to review albums as a whole instead of track-by-track, but it's hard for me to take away a cohesive idea about a whole album, or compare tracks to one another within the context of it. In any case, thanks for reading.

Yeah, agreed. Given that I probably listen to five or six new albums per year (hahahaha), it might make mine anyway. :)

:3 Awww, thanks. I would start a journal but I have two blogs and they occupy most of my spare writing time. On my blogs I only tend to review single songs, so I'm excited to exercise my album reviewing skills here on MB. Thanks for the encouragement!

Just quickly looked at your blog, miss p (VVV I think) and wow was I impressed! I knew you were a great writer and that proved it. The sex stuff threw me initially, being an old Irish prude, but the stuff where you take on America's attitudes to foreigners is pure gold! When I have time I'll be reading more, and I urge others to head that way too (links in the lady's sig) and take a look.

Excellent job.
Cool colour scheme, too! ;)

This album is up to 4.5/5 for me. Absolutely love near enough every aspect of it. If only JT was less corny with his lyrics.

I'm sure you're nothing of the sort, TH.

Awww, you're too kind.
Thanks for the feedback and the free marketing! :)

This album was JT and Timberland at their finest!

My opinion is that they don't understand the music better. I wouldn't even consider Ocean a part of the conversation honestly. If you're gonna talk vocal range then Stevie wins hands down. If you're gonna talk musicianship its not even close because Stevie basically made the album Innervisions on his own with every instrument known to man. And it is Innervisions you might wanna listen to it someday, nostalgia aside its a very impressive album. Sure it has Higher Ground to fall back on but there are some incredible gems on it, none of which are filler as you've described.

I like the new JT album, its definitely a great effort by him and filled with radio friendly and club standouts. Sure hes got a great range and hes an incredible showman, but he will never make a record that will be as thought provoking and well rounded as Innervisions.

But this thread isn't about Stevie Wonder its about JT and I really dig the progression of the record, and I very rarely listen to rnb type music any longer.

Stevie Wonder is more than simply a singer, he is a multi-instrumentalist who plays a substantial amount of the instruments on his albums. Personally, I think of him more in terms of being an amazing keyboardist above everything else, though I do like his voice. He also is a brilliant harmonica player and not too shabby of a drummer as well. If you've only heard Innervisions you really owe it to yourself to check out more of his work. Talking Book, Fulfillingness' First Finale and Songs in the Key of Life are far superior albums imo.

^^^
Couldn't have said it better myself.

Also, one more point about MJ: As I've tried to tell Mankycaaant before (but he doesn't listen obviously) MJ DID write most of his own material, arranged it, AND contributed to the production process. Just because he's remembered by the majority of people more for his prowess as a singer and performer doesn't mean he wasn't far more than both of those things. If you really think otherwise, then you've got some reading to do. :/

As far as Stevie is concerned, I'd concur about getting into anything post-Innervisions to really appreciate just how multifaceted he was both instrumentally and vocally.

And finally...how can you honestly really compare Justin Timberlake or Frank Ocean to Stevie when neither of them are blind and have every convenience in the world going for them? Stevie came from freakin' nothing and managed to claw his way up an industry that was far harder to elevate yourself in back then than it is now, disability or no disability. Your preferences aside, even mentioning them in the same breath as Wonder is pretty damn silly. It's like saying Tim McGraw has surpassed Johnny Cash, lmfao!

From what I have heard it sounds very good but my expectations are that its not completely to my taste, ill listen to it all soon im sure.

Justin Timberlake | iHeartRadio

Album release party with JT performing some tracks live.

nice

Justin Timberlake in general
 

It's hard for me to hate on JT, mainly because I love all kinds of music, even in my young, rather ignorant age of 24.

As a drummer, I'm always looking for something musical to teach me a thing or two, and I'm starting to appreciate more and more R&B, as it trumps other genres in the "main stream" world.

Justin Timberlake is no exception. I haven't listened to the album as in depth as others, I know after hearing "Suit & Tie" and performing it with a solo female singer (believe it or not), it has a quite adventurous rhythm!

As far as never listening to full albums, you and I differ on that. That's usually the first thing I do when I buy (or "get," if you catch my drift) an album. It paints a mental picture of what the artist may be going through in life at the moment.

Bravo on the review, I might have to get the album now!

Thanks for the feedback, BB. :) I hope you do get it, it's freshhhh.

Downloaded, giving a listen now off the back of reviews ITT.

I'll report back with my opinion but the opener is alright, I'll be honest though doubt I'll listen to it again after this tbh.

Suit & Tie is good, main thing standing out to me is the production reminds me of Outkast a bit.

Strawberry Bubblegum and Tunnel Vision are strong tracks.

Strawberry Bubblegum ended up being my favorite song on the album.

Yeah it sounded very good. JT is very feminine, it can get a bit tiring after a bit, sometimes I wish he'd do something different over the beats.

I had to stop the album on track 6 but I will listen to the rest later today.

The best track of this album IMO is Pusher Love Girl. Its a pity that its not getting enough push(pun intended). ;)

Justin Modernized himself
 

I think Justin Timberlake did exactly what he was suppose to do at this point in time. He made a serious album and modernized his sound because in this day in age you have to re-invent yourself to survive in the music world. This upsets me because I enjoy the older versions of many artists better than what they create today, but at the same time I respect them because they're trying to survive.

Also might I mention Timberlake hasn't made a serious record in a while, since he's been rolling with The Lonely Island and making some hilarious songs. So its nice to hear a non comedic side again. I don't really consider myself a fan of Timberlake but I can listen to his songs and I respect him.

<3
 

love it!

Hey, thanks bro! I tend to just spew shit out in real life, too.

The album is cool.. But I dunno why JT songs are so LONG!!