-Max McLeod-

Year: 2013  Genre:  Pop

After a very successful start in the band N’Sync Justin Timberlake became a very successful solo artist with his albums Justified and FutureSex/LoveSounds.  A very talented singer with one of the best producers in Timbaland, Justin Timberlake has what it takes to make some hit songs.

    JT’s new album is the first of a two part album called The 20/20 Experience.  The album is filled with potential hits, highlighted by catchy choruses and flashy hooks, all showcasing Justin’s near-Michael Jackson range.  The album begins with the song “Pusher Love Girl”, which sets the tone for the entire album.  A long song at eight minutes, it is exemplary of what the album will be: long hooks with a chorus that repeats several times throughout the song, all strung along with struggling verses.

The album for me was very polarizing.  Some of the songs were instant pop classics, while others shouldn’t even have been written.  Songs like “That Girl”, “Blue Ocean Floor”, and “Mirrors” make the album a must-hear while “Strawberry Bubblegum”, “Don’t Hold the Wall”, and “Dress On” make the listening sometimes tough.  All of the songs are very long, some upwards of eight minutes, with none of them falling under four and a half minutes.  While JT’s singing and catchy songwriting outweighs his sometimes struggling lyricism, it is Timbaland’s production of the album that really makes it an album worth owning.  Each track, whether good or not, is a notable piece of work if simply for the extremely high production value.  In conclusion, the album is worth listening to, with some fantastic tracks, but with some definite low points.

Check out all of JT’s music videos here on YouTube