Justin Timberlake in 2013

I'd also question this claim: "FutureSex/ LoveSounds, Mr. Timberlake’s follow-up, aimed lower aesthetically [than Justified]"

Did it really?

But it's a good review, dubious claims and all.

ha i really appreciate that lil offhand challop (with which i wholly agree)

I can understand someone thinking it ended up lower aesthetically (I prefer Justified) but its aims were obviously grand.

it aimed bigger but not nec higher

justified was more low-key about its ambition and didn't wrap it up in an overarching marketing thing but i think the music on justified - both the range and the peaks - was far more of a daring statement in 2002 than FS/LS was in 2006

What you seem to be saying is that a pop star with a slightly skewed musical sensibility seems more daring the first time he executes that vision than he does the second time.

if I remember well, justified was more about getting in sync (sic !) with the (arguably) most exciting music and producers of the time while FS/LS was something else which was then copied by most afterward (not to say the sound didn't exist before, just that it wasn't already big as opposed to the sound on justified).

I've come around to thinking both albums contain the same number of songs I skip.

I like more non singles tracks on FS/LS than on Justified (which is easy since I don't like any album track on the latter !).

Agree with (the non-parenthetic part of) that but the singles on Justified are way more all-time.

def don't understand dismissing all of the non-singles on justified

my favorite track of his is between "rock your body", "sexyback" (which I like a lot more now than then) and "My love".
I had zero hope he could make another track of that level in his new album so I won't be disppointed when I listen to it !

Killer album tracks:

(And She Said) Take Me Now
Right For Me
Let's Take a Ride
Nothin' Else

well, I have nothing against them, I just never particularly liked them...

actually, I just checked FS/LS and I hadn't realized almost all the album was released as singles !
I don't care much for the tracks that weren't except for FS/LS itself and summer love.

anyway, back to the new album, I guess I will be waiting for the official release to listen to it.
so far, "suit" is fine but far from his best stuff.
"mirrors" is meh although the chorus is ok (except the "oh oh" parts which I hate).
so 2 not great tracks out of 10 is not a great ratio for high expectations !
but maybe it's an album based on other things than strong singles which could be fine...

This album is mostly dope and only falls off in the last two songs

all right i'm officially with rev on this now

i even like how "blue ocean floor" prettily meanders

"mirrors" is meh to me because it reminds me too much of former glories, while at least the others sound (more) like new unique songs, not retreads of classics

especially since it was already a bit boring by "what goes around" !
that said, I'm not certain "mirrors" is worse than "what goes around". I've never loved that song. except the coda "comes around" which is great.

1. Its very difficult to play whackamole on a single metaphor for 8 minutes without belabouring the point.

2. Still think people were so terrified by the initial implications of the glitterball-sludge opening that the rest is automatically given the botd.

3. This might have legs in the long run though as far as bangers go it flatters to deceive.

4. Great song to hold the wall to but bubblegum ruins the pie.

5. Bemused double-take at the 05 grime beat, proving that I either lack imagination or didn't leave London soon enough.

6. Because Terius Nash of all people was in desperate need of an ego boost.

7. Almost makes you wish he he hadn't grown conscious of his Memphis roots... Almost.

8. Somewhere between Rio, Happy Feet, Shark Tale and Lionel Richie.

9. In loving memory of NSYNC (1995-2002) #NEVER4GET

10. Can't shake the Jesse Boykins III & Full Crate similarities and I'd probably prefer it if it hadn't overstayed its welcome.

the second of the bonus tracks 'body count' reminds me of justified in a very good way. like half like i love you and half senorita as produced by timbaland.

i mean, the rest of it is growing on me although it's not AMAZING but srsly a bit more of sleaze and sleekness and funk would not have killed him, esp. since he can still pull it off.

"body count" is great

the fact that nobody is talking about the fake authenticity here (JT AND THE TENNESSEE KIDS, YE GODS) is actually bugging me

http://www.heavyblogisheavy.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Body+Count+BC.jpg

ha, the JT & the Tennessee Kids thing seemed just kind of "roll eyes, move along"

is The Tennessee Kids some public access show he did before the Mickey Mouse Club?

heyyyyyyy now

thought the "let the groove get in" performance on fallon tonight had some real nice moments but the vibe was really weirding me out... it was like watching the climactic scene of a film where the plot is a white pop singer goes down to the carribean and saves a village by teaching it the joy of music

yiiiiiikes

they even had questlove off in the corner shaking maracas and stiltedly mouthing the hook like he was just picking up english

Naw, it didn't read like that to me at all. Thought it was a better song live than on record, too.

Damn. What a dead-on Elton impersonation on SNL.

i don't really see how the performance carried any more of that vibe than, say, the "Senorita" video, or any number of JT performances

I was listening to "suit&tie" this morning with the sun in the bus and it was very smooth.
I really like that song now !

The problem with "Mirrors" is that for most of its length it doesn't give you a place to land: it's all chorus and climax, and exhausting.

lot of problems with "mirrors," but that's otm. i also think it's so overstuffed that it sounds unmixed

but also "suit & tie" is in my head at every station of my life now so who knows maybe one day it'll slip in

'let the groove in' on fallon is the best one i've heard so far. i haven't heard the studio record yet though, just these live versions.

loved "suit and tie" on SNL, esp the choreography

<i>it was like watching the climactic scene of a film where the plot is a white pop singer goes down to the carribean and saves a village by teaching it the joy of music</i>

well, yeah -- but it comes across on the album too. to be fair part of this might be the PR seeping in (but what ever isn't), but, like, not expecting much else from a Justin Timberlake song called "Let the Groove Get In" described as having "Latin beats." plus with timbo bringing back the whole "let's sample/'sample' Middle Eastern pop to sound ~*dangerous and exotic*~" early-'00s schtick...

so is everybody coming around to loving suit and tie now? i was here first *ahem*

I don't mind it, i.e. still a middling grade. Jay-Z gets a D- though.

I've come around to Jay's verse. I like that it adds a more personal touch to the song.

it isn't the worst thing on the album but kanye is still correct

i really like the breakdown that occurs prior to jay's verse

Don't mind Suit and Tie, just wished the album had it's own SexyBack.

who hits the prince guitar solo 3:48 into "spaceship coupe"? damn

Listening to "Strawberry Bubblegum" for the first time, on Fallon, right now. There is an influence from Stevie Wonder's "All Day Sucker" here.

There's also a career similarity, a similar personality as well, between Kobe Bryant and JT.

I hate to say it but I've had "mirrors"' chorus in my head since this morning...

There's also a career similarity, a similar personality as well, between Kobe Bryant and JT.

you're gonna have to expand on this one

the stretch from "don't hold the wall" to "let the groove in" is heavenly