Justin Timberlake - FutureSex / LoveSounds
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Free Music Notes for FutureSex / LoveSounds
Free Music Review: sophomore effort is way better than the first.
Hit: 5 Stars
I'll be the first to admit that I wasn't impressed with Justified. While it had its moments, I didn't think he deserved too much credit for recording Off the Wall 2003. Justin hadn't developed an original sound, so he bit off other artists instead, and relied on the Neptunes to deliver banging beats for him.
NO MORE. With Future Sex/Love Sounds, Justin finally lives up to his potential. Although he still allows other artists to influence his music (he favors Prince this time instead of Michael), Justin really has created a niche for himself. Also, Justin addes interludes and preludes at the beginning and ends of some songs. They're a nice transition and they add a unique twist to the album
Although I wasn't sold on the idea of the Neptunes not being on this album at first, after a few listens, I realized that he didn't really need them. After all, the Neptunes production is rather unoriginal in the sense that, you always know when you're listening to a Neptunes song, and the aritst doesn't really get a chance to shine. There are Timbaland tracks on the album, but again, I feel like Timbaland is a more versatile producer, so you don't always get that same repetive feel that you get with the Neptunes.
The album starts out with the title track. I'll admit - this is my favorite song on the CD. The mid-tempo beat, the Prince vibe, the song is really sexy in a kind of fun way. After that is the first single "Sexyback". I don't really need to talk about it - everyone's heard it. However, if you're skeptical about buying the CD, that song isn't really indicative of what's on the rest of the album. Nevertheless, it's a pretty solid song.
The next 3 tracks on the CD are some of the stronger numbers. "Sexy Ladies....", "My Love", and "Love Stoned" are 3 completely different songs with completely different sounds - yet all three work. "Sexy Ladies" has that 70s funk vibe, "My Love" (the 2nd single) has a techno, futuristic feel to it, and "Love Stoned" has a simple beat with great use of an orchestra and harmonies.
Justin slows it down on the next song. "What Goes Around..." [which sounds like it's directed towards britney] it a great mid-tempo ballad, it reminds me of some of the ballads on Justified.
Justin then makes his only misstep on the CD with the song "Chop Me Up" with 3-6 Mafia. I'm not impressed with the lyrics or the beat of the song. I think the CD would have been better without it. "Damn Girl" [w/ Will.I.Am] has another funk Prince vibe and I love the live band sound. Again, it's not one of my favorites, but it's a pretty good track. "Summer Love..." is another one of my favorites. It has a simple fun vibe, and i really like the attached song "Set the Mood". It's a really short yet really pretty ballad.
The next 3 songs are all solid slow jams. Out of the three, my favorite is "Until the End of Time". Justin ends it with a collaboration with Snoop Dogg on "Pose". Again, I think this track has a bit of a Prince feel, but still is unmistakably Justin. It's an upbeat number about pretty girls posing for the camera. It's another fun summer song.
If you got the album pre-ordered, you get a bonus song "Boutique in Heaven". This is actually another one of my favorite songs. Although the lyrics aren't the best, the song is really catchy, and Justin's voice takes on a slightly different sound.
All in all, it's a great buy.
TOP 5:
5. Until the End of Time
4. Summer Love / Set The Mood
3. My Love
2. Love Stoned / I Think She Knows
1. Future Sex/Love Sounds
Free Music Review: He's Cocky, But This is a Great CD
Hit: 5 Stars
I was one of those people who liked *NSYNC. A lot of people did when they first came out, but now most people don't admit it. I grew out of *NSYNC before they broke up (they didn't officially, but let's face it...Justin Timberlake has no reason to go back), but pretty soon Justin Timberlake released his first solo album "Justified." I liked a few of the songs that I heard, but I never bought the album. When this album came out, I had no desire to buy it. I didn't even pick it up and look at it while walking past it in a store. Then the 2nd single off the album came out ("My Love") and I found myself hearing that song in my sleep. If a song gets stuck in my head, I'll buy the album and that's exactly what I did. After listening to the whole album I'm amazed. Working with superproducer Timbaland was a great decision for Timberlake, because this album is awesome. I don't even like this kind of music that much, but this CD is great. It's got good lyrics (I have a couple of complaints, but I'll get to those in a second), the beats are fantastic, and Timberlake has really matured as a vocalist. He can sing in falsetto, his normal voice, a distorted voice, or whatever. This album kind of signifies that Timberlake has grown up...Note the "Parental Advisory" sticker on the cover and the title of the album of course. Here are the songs separated in the categories Great, Good, and Worst Song on album...
GREAT:
SexyBack, My Love, LoveStoned, Damn Girl, Summer Love, and Losing My Way
GOOD:
FutureSex/LoveSound, Sexy Ladies, What Goes Around, Chop Me Up, (Another Song) All Over Again.
WORST SONG: Until the End of Time
The "Great" are all catchy as hell and most will get stuck in your head easily. SexyBack has cocky and narcissistic lyrics, but is a fun song anyway. My Love, with Timberlake's falsetto and Timbaland's terrific beat, is one of the best songs of 2006. "LoveStoned" has an interesting title, although sounds like a little throwback to his *NSYNC days. "Damn Girl" I'm really fond of. It sounds like a 70's disco song. "Summer Love" is very cool and "Losing My Way" I like for the lyrics, which are in the vein of the lyrics Timberlake sung on The Black Eyed Peas "Where is the Love?" The good songs are good, but have some imperfections. "FutureSex/LoveSound" has lame verses, but a great chorus. Sexy Ladies is a song that is O.K., but I don't skip past it while listening to the album. "Chop Me Up" has one of the dumbest lines I've ever heard this year (we could watch Sex & the City or Desperate Housewives). What Goes Around and Another Song are just a little too slow for my taste. Until the End of Time is the slowest song on the album and seems like a filler. I didn't buy a lot of new CD's in 2006, but this is one of the best I've bought.
The Great songs on here make you want to listen again and again. As for the lyrics, they're good but contradictory. In tracks 1-5 Timberlake talks about how happy, sexy, and cool he is. Then in track 6, he goes all depressive and sad. I couldn't help thinking to myself...This guy is dating Cameron Diaz, what does he have to be sad about? Despite being cocky, and slightly arrogant,
Timberlake is a talented musician who has established himself as a real artist not just "that dude from *NSYNC." This is a damn good album and I highly recommend it. As for his the "cockiness" I mentioned, I guess Kid Rock was right. "They say I'm cocky and I say what? It ain't bragging mother****er if you back it up."
GRADE: A- (The less-than-spectacular songs aren't bad enough to warrant the CD a 'B')
Free Music Review: So Good I'm At A Loss For Words
Hit: 5 Stars
I've been putting off writing this review for about a week now. Reason being: with the exception of one song, this is such a great album my words won't do justice to it. Either way I will try to give my honest opinion on each song below:
1-"FutureSex/LoveSound" (5/5) Great song. Wonderful chorus. Love it's unusual beat and it's racy lyrics.
2-"SexyBack" (5/5) The reason I got the album in the first place is this song. With it's off the hook beat and Justin's unique vocal arrangement, this song became a hit in my book.
3-"Sexy Ladies" (5/5) Another awesome song. It's chorus is very catchy and Justin's voice in it is great.
4-"My Love" (5/5) I loooooove this song. The prelude to this song and the
actual intro. are insanely good. Justin's falsetto in the background is just bone chilling.I could listen to this song all day long. T.I.'s rap is very fitting and well written.
5-"LoveStoned" (5/5) A great song with a very cool chorus and terrific lyrics. My favorite part is the interlude at the end. Justin's voice is wonderful in it. Overall, a great song.
6-"What Goes Around Comes Around" (5/5) I love the message in this song. Many people can relate to this song which is what I love about it. Great lyrics + great vocals, inevitably = a GREAT song.
7-"Chop Me Up" (5/5) A personal fave, this song is just flawless. I love the way Justin sings in it. It just suits him right. Timbaland's verse is also fabulous. This song's chorus is what has me hooked. Three 6 Mafia's collaboration with Justin was a great idea. Nobody else could have done a better job.
8-"Damn Girl" (3/5) I was about to give the album a 4 instead of a perfect 5 stars because of this song. I simply don't get it. I hate it. I gave it a 3 because I have heard worse songs but really, it could have been kept out of this almost perfect album.
9-"Summer Love" (5/5) Awesome beat and vocal arrangement make this song a great potential single. It's lyrics are mature and catchy making it one of my faves.
10-"Until The End Of Time" (5/5) A very sweet love song. Its beautiful, touching lyrics will definitely touch the hearts of those who listen to it.
11-"Losing My Way" (5/5) This is just a great song about the typical drug addict that finds he/she is losing grasp of their life. Wonderfully written and sung in a deep, mellow way, this song leaves me speechless.
12-"(Another Song) All Over Again" (4/5) This has to be the song I have listened to less along with "Damn Girl". I feel it could have better lyrics that would make it more touching.
Honestly, this album has got to be the best one in my collection thus far. I am in looove with it and only hope Justin keeps it in mind for his next release. If he keeps his crazy, electrifying beats and his mature lyrics, I will be buying his albums forevermore. Justin should also continue collaborating with Timbaland and Nate Hills when it comes to writing and his dope beats. Great job, Justin!
I can listen to this album in its entirety except for the song "Damn Girl" therefore I will not write my Faves because I'd have to list 11 out of the 12 songs.
Free Music Review: One the whole, a pretty solid follow-up from JT
Hit: 5 Stars
For me there was good news and bad news with this CD. I'll start with the bad news so as to end on a positive note. The first couple of tracks (aside from the single, "SexyBack") represent everything that I've come to despise about modern music, especially so called "Urban" music: rappers that want to be singers, and melody and lyricism sacrificed on the alter of the banging beat. I was close to despair as I was expecting big things from Justin. "Justified" is still one of my favourite albums of the last ten years. I knew Timbaland was capable of bringing out the best in singers - his work with Missy Elliott, Aaliyah and Ginuwine are a testament to his skills. His remix of Destiny's Child's "Say My Name" is among my top 100 songs of all time.
But then, "What Goes Around..." kicks in with a brilliant Middle-Eastern style mandolin-like melody and my faith is restored. Justin actually starts SINGING! And even though "Chop Me Up" once again has rappers trying to sing, the beat is so infectious, and Timbaland and Three 6 Mafia make it so much fun, it's impossible to hate. "Damn Girl" featuring Will.I.Am is one of the best songs I've heard this year and the CD goes on to provide exactly the kind of entertainment value I've come to expect from Mr Timberlake. The chemistry he says he has with Timbaland is evident all the way through and while I'm wondering why he chose not to work with the Neptunes this time round, to be honest, they are not really missed. This is definitely going to go down as one of THE albums of 2006 and I've given the CD five stars because the good news definitely outweighs the bad. I can start playing this CD from track 6 onwards and still feel like I got my money's worth. I probably won't but I could.
I should also mention "Losing My Way", where he sings about drug addiction and basically losing one's way. It would be a great song all by itself but he invites Hezekiah Walker and the Love Fellowship Choir to take part in the proceedings and I'm a sucker for a genuine gospel choir any day. On the ballads "Until The End Of Time" and "(Another Song) All Over Again" Justin sings his heart out and is as good as, if not better than, any other male r&b singer out there. And if all that weren't enough, the CD ends with the bonus track "Pose" with Snoop Dogg. Any of the songs I've mentioned could be singles, potentially and in my opinion.
I'll be honest. When I first put the CD in the player I was ready to cuss and I was ready to hate. I could still do without the first couple of songs on this CD (apart from "SexyBack") but the rest of the album more than makes up. A solid follow-up from JT. Judging from this CD and the recent work he did with Nelly Furtado, it seems Timbaland the producer is going off in a whole new direction. I really hope it works out for him.
Free Music Review: One Of Those Amazing Musical Moments!
Hit: 5 Stars
I guess after hearing this CD I am just going to have to stop thinking of Justin Timberlake as that curly haired kid in N'Sync chirping on cue for a producer.'Futuresex/Lovesounds' is one of the purely funkiest piece of new music I've heard in awhile.And as with almost all Top 10 music today it's of course littered with guest stars but actually pretty good associations such as Will I.M. and Timberland (who is on every record these days lol).The first six songs-the title track,"Sexyback","Sexy Ladies","My Love","Lovestoned" and "What Goes Around Comes Around" are like a modern funk odyessy-full of chunky guitars,hefty beats and surprisingly tough singing from Timberlake square in the classic funk tradition of Michael Jackson,Prince and even a tad James Brown,though Justin's tone is obviously a lot lighter.As with one too many an album the drawbacks on this album are how some of the guest rappers can be plain egotistical and intrustive on Timberlake's own elan-I see artists such as Beyonce' and Mariah Carey suffer the same fate:more focus on the guests then the headline artist.Justin is (and actually was even in N'Sync) a wonderful human beat box and I consider his vocals (like Michael Jackson) as much a percussion element as a vocal.And that is part of what breaks this CD in the middle with "Chop Me Up"-the beat is very pedestrain and boring.But he makes up for it with "Damn You",totally out of the Beck school of organ based funk.After the more pulsing "Summer Love" he takes a little break from funk for a bit and hits you with "Until The End Of Time",bringing the great sounding LINN drum machine back into popular use and it has a great passionate vocal."Losing My Way" is actually something I didn't expect-a message song,an errily grooving story about a regular family mans transformation into a crack addict delivered in a convincing way and it isn't quite the downer it seems.Justin's take on the soul ballad "Another Song" is very stark and beautiful-he still has a little youthful spirit and it shows but it works too.The last cut "Pose" is my favorite-a JB styled funk jam with Snoop Dog with a funny 'strike-the-pose' lyric.So what is the overall impresson of 'Futuresex/Lovesounds'?Musically it is extremely well constructed and diverse-even the ballads are based in the beat the the rhythm and influenced by a quality that a lot of moder pop artists have lost:a sense of internal rhythm.James Brown had it,Jackie Wilson had it,Michael Jackson had it,Prince had it and now Justin does.And this IS NOT music for teeny boppers-it's mildly racy lyrics and musical heaviness will likely appeal to fans of hard edged older school funk and R&B.And maybe,just maybe that is why I like this so much.