JT's One Night Stand With Music

Warning- I had already heard almost half of songs on this album and therefore I may be slightly biased when it comes to the review. I think it'll turn out okay though.

Justin Timberlake. Just hearing that name brings me way back, before "Sexyback" and "Cry Me A River", all the way to, gasp, NSYNC. Justin was a boy band member, raiding the charts with hit after hit. But all somewhat bearable things come to an end, and NSYNC found themselves s.o.l (Google it).

But Justin got lucky. As NSYNC failed, he rose. First came Justified (I know, what a title, right!?), which did well. It got two Grammy's and was very clear in expressing to the music world- "I'm not a cutesy little teenage pop star anymore."

He got burnt out though, and needed a break from the music world. Justin started golfing and chilling on the weekends, something that really helped him find prospective. He acted for a while before diving back into music back in 2005. Then, messing around in the studios with Timbaland, a prominent music producer, the first draft of one of the hits off of FutureSex/LoveSounds, "What Goes Around, Comes Around." I have to say, I love this song. It takes a break from the sex-obsessed, oh-my-god-that-girl-is-smokin'-let's-write-every-song-about-hot-girls, idea of most his songs seem to inhibit.

"What Goes Around, Comes Around" isn't the only song JT put his soul into. As acclaimed as it's been, "Sexyback" was the blowup of the album. Taking the charts by storm, I still hear that song on the radio!

But, why have I bothered to go through Justin Timberlake history in Hollywood? The best way to understand this sophomore album is to know where JT came from. Coming from a boy band, he truly deliberated over these songs, trying to create his own distinct style. Personally, I think he succeeded.

Future Sex/Love Sounds is the kind of album you'd love to hate. The popish beat and freak-a-dink lyrics would mentally kill a good number of music lovers I know, myself included. I like to keep an open mind though, so I listened closer, and that's how I really heard this album. Those popish beats, those are supposed to be there. Music wasn't meant to be contained to one genre, and Justin fully exploits that. Even though this album is primarily pop/r&b, you can feel him grasping for rock, blues, even gangsta rap.

You can even note the transition of the songs. The first half, the FutureSex, explores the suggestive and sometimes explicit themes of sex("I'll let you whip me if I misbehave." from Sexyback). Songs on that half include "FutureSex/LoveSounds", "My Love" and "Sexy Ladies/ Let Me Talk To You." The second half, the LoveSounds, gives more credit to the lovey-dovey part of Justin, with songs like "Until The End Of Time", "Summer Love/Set The Mood", and "Losing My Way." That brings me to favorites. I was really digging "Until The End Of Time" on this album. The groovy beat mixed with the Justin's heart pulling voice on this song as he aches for some girl got to me. The song really set with me that, although people may not think of him as so, Justin Timberlake is a serious musician. Raivynn really like one of the many hits off that album, "LoveStoned/I Think She Knows (Interlude)", a sexy sounding catchy tune that leaves room in the last two minutes to transition you from catchy beat to a slow mo surf of serenading sound.

JT may never make another album and if he didn't, I'd be okay. Not because he's a bad artist, but because he found his sound, something I think every artist longs to find. Good job kid.

-Whitni

Oh, and I think it's important to note that Raivynn and I can rap TI's part on "My Love." We are very proud of it :).I did it for the first time in front of some friends a couple weeks ago and my friends we're blown out of the water. I guess they were thinking, how can this chick who likes The Beatles, Coldplay and The White Stripes spit a beat? Huh, isn't musical diversity amazing?