Justin Timberlake’s new album The 20/20 Experience, released March 15, remains one of the best of the year. His first album in over six years appeases a variety of musical tastes and features some great artists, sending Timberlake back into the spotlight.
Fans of Timberlake’s previous albums such as Justified in 2002 and Mr. Timberlake in 2008 will not be disappointed. Although some of the songs are completely different than any of Timberlake’s previous hits, the listener is sure to pick up the familiar JT sound with an old school twist. This album is a definite purchase with its integration of retro and futuristic sounds.
‘Suit & Tie’, the first song released, became an instant hit. Timberlake had everyone singing along with the catchy lyrics of “As long as I got my suit and tie…” The sound is unlike any other song at the moment, with an old school, jazzy feel. ‘Suit & Tie’ managed to capture the top spot on iTunes in 31 countries.
All the songs on the album are unique. They range from a mix of pop to jazz and each is an average of seven minutes in length. The first song on the album is ‘Pusher Love Girl’ which is 8:02. The song starts with a 1920’s film feeling, but gradually takes on a different beat. The bass becomes more defined and a smoother rhythm develops. The harmonious quality of the song is well developed.
As opposed to the upbeat, fun message of ‘Pusher Love Girl’, the song ‘Mirrors’ takes on a different role. The lyrics, “I don’t want to lose you now, I’m looking right at the other half of me…” express the same harmonious melodies, but with a classic JT sound. The song is an immediate connection to his past hit ‘Summer Love’ with repetitive synthesized chords. Another interesting quality to this song is the beatboxing in the background. The idea of beatboxing is not new to Timberlake’s songs, but is used sparingly in this album.
Winning Video of the Year and best editing for ‘Mirrors’ and best direction for ‘Suit & Tie’ at the 2013 VMA’s, Timberlake’s awards speak to the quality of his work. He also offered a monumental performance in which he combined his new songs with previous hits, going so far back as to feature the members of his old group N’SYNC.
On a scale of 1-5, this album would definitely score a strong 4.5. Bringing in some big names, Timberlake collaborates with popular rapper Jay-Z in ‘Suit & Tie’ and well-known producer Timbaland to create an album that is diverse in style and lyrics.