Up until recently, “Justin Timberlake the musician” seemed to be a legend from the turn of the century. Nearly seven years have passed since the talented poster boy of ‘N Sync, turned poetic solo artist, released a new track list for his many eager, awaiting fans. In the time that has passed, the music industry has experienced a vast reconstruction focused on the heart pounding beats of electronic dance music, creating a new realm of stardom in its producers, rather than in its recording artists.
So when Timberlake announced in January, in a simultaneous promotion for his latest business venture of the new MySpace, that he would be releasing new music in the coming months, the rumor mill began to spin at lightning speeds. Would his new music try to fit in among the dictates of the electronic wave? Could the singer, previously branded the newest “prince of pop” still make chart-topping hits? Could JT bring sexy back yet again?
These unanswered questions and desires for falsetto-heavy melodies were given temporary indulgence in the first single “Suit and Tie.”
Released on January 14, the R&B based song seemed lackluster in its appeal, if not anti-climatic for the hype built in anticipation of the artist’s return. The song starts off with the slow hypnotic echoing of “I’ll be on my Suit and Tie,” eventually escalating into the signature falsetto and interchanging pop-funk rhythms of a Timberlake-Timbaland production.
While at first listen, the song seems to merely glide over the instrumental drums and horns, never immediately jumping out as a classic like the sounds of “Sexy Back” or “Cry Me a River,” the mid-tempo soulfulness paints the approach of a seasoned veteran, inviting listeners to appreciate all aspects of the well-crafted song. Instead of the instant-gratification that has been programmed to be expected, this song carries a much more potent quality of originality and excitement present even in the hundredth listen when a song would normally become tiresome and annoying. Pop music is obsessed with staying relevant, whether through incessant holiday and acoustic albums or over-produced bridges that generate fist-pumping, but in time become infuriatingly monotonous. But, unlike these, Justin Timberlake’s approach to The 20/20 Experience is much more thoughtful and all-encompassing of the time it took to get there. As shocking as it may seem, 20/20 is only JT’s third album, a testament to his music’s enduring accessibility.
The time that elapses between each album allows Timberlake to tell a unique story through his music, a feature that is on full display throughout “20/20.” Whether it’s in “That Girl,” or “Mirrors,” Timberlake explores the essence of love withstanding differences, rather than his previous approach of seduction and courting that comprises songs such as “My Love” and “Rock Your Body.” At the same time, JT honors his pop and R&B predecessors through the rhythmic ingenuity of songs such as “Let the Groove Get In,” a Michael Jackson style of pop fusion, or through the high-spirited flair of “Pusher Love Girl,” a song that incorporates reverberating vocals and harmonizing choruses characteristic of Stevie Wonder.
Yet, this ambitious approach is at once both the peak and low-point of The 20/20 Experience. While allowing the production of unforgettably dexterous beats, his objective often gets lost in the midst of exaggerated outros, that while interesting at first, seem repetitive by the sixth song over seven minutes in length. In particular, while fascinating songs at their core, “Spaceship Coupe” and “Blue Ocean Floor,” seem unsure whether they want to become a pop song, a soulful exploration of contrasting harmonies, or some kind of abstract instrumental display. In their efforts to encompass some mix of all three, the confusion becomes overwhelming.
Despite these minor slips, The 20/20 Experience proves to be the new stepping stone of the future of the pop/R&B genre. In its purely organic form, Timberlake creates an album that has a wide-ranging appeal and the potential to become one of the, if not the, best albums of the year. But what may be more exciting than the lasting quality of this compilation of songs is what they allow Justin to do: perform. If there’s anything Timberlake has proved since his last album release, it’s that he thrives on an audience, incorporating his charisma, intelligence, and spontaneity in his song based performances. As demonstrated by single-handedly reviving the dismal atmosphere that now surrounds Saturday Night Live, Justin plays off of those around him, making his new “Tennessee Kids” band and the accompaniment of Jay-Z on his upcoming summer tour all the more exciting.
With his album topping the music charts, having sold 968,000 copies in its first week, and an announcement that he would release the second half of “20/20” later this year, Timberlake has returned as a force in the music industry. In the words of JT himself, “what goes around… comes all the way back around.” By the looks of it, this is just his first lap back around in his marathon career.
