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Free Music Notes for Timbaland Presents Shock ValueFree Music Review: It's worth the money! Hit: 5 StarsThis cd is the best. Timbaland could sing like 4real man! I gave it 5 stars. why don't u?!
Free Music Review: Missing two songs Hit: 1 StarsOther people have touched on the artistic merits of this album, so I want to touch on the censorship.
If you buy this from amazon in the UK it has 19 songs on it. This version sold in America only has 17.
Free Music Review: Major hit-maker finally makes some hits he can call his own... Hit: 5 StarsTimbaland is lauded by almost everyone as the hit-maker. If you want a radio friendly club beat laden single then seek out Timbaland and consider you're dreams answered. This is made apparent by the recent rise of pop stars Justin Timberlake and Nelly Furtado who have just blown up lately thanks in large part to Timbaland's infectious beats. So here finally Timbaland steps behind the microphone in order to explore his own vocal talents and let the world see what would happen if he was allowed to make the music he wanted to make. Thankfully he's a genuine artist and didn't just put out another rap album that could easily be mistaken for the countless other no-talent releases year round. In fact with `Shock Value' Timbaland delves into different musical styles and does so with expert maneuvering, delivering a unique and memorable musical experience.
Of course when you pair Timbaland up with his musical soul-mate Timberlake you have instant hit status, and so Timbaland enlisted Justin's talents on three tracks, and those three tracks are standouts. `Give it to Me' also partners Timbaland with Nelly Furtado, a voice that Timbaland helped make a household name. It's a brilliant choice for a first single for it establishes Timbaland's mark while still keeping him comfortable, mostly behind the shadow of the better vocals. `Release' is a fun song but the real gold is found on `Bounce' which teams Timbaland and Timberlake with Dr Dre and Missy Elliot. The beat is one of Timbaland's best and the song in itself will lodge itself in your brain.
Another collaboration that suits Timbaland very well is that with upcoming star Keri Hilson who appears on three tracks as well. `The Way I Are', also featuring D.O.E., has a fantastic beat that belongs in the club. I'm sure everyone has heard this song by now so you know how great it is. `Scream' also features Keri but couples the two with Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger. I don't care what your feelings are about the Pussycat Dolls, that girl has a beautiful voice. Personally out of the three I think I prefer `Miscommunication' but it's a hard toss up with `The Way I Are'. On `Miscommunication' though Keri Hilson really shines and that makes me lean more in that direction.
The remainder of the CD has Timbaland teaming up with random rappers and rock groups in order to create some of the more interesting tracks in hip-hop today. Teaming up with ultra-popular pop-punk band Fall Out Boy on `One and Only' was a brilliant step. In fact `One and Only' is one of the best tracks on the album. The Hives provide some entertaining aspects of `Throw it on Me', but it's `Apologize' that really blows me away. California based OneRepublic is a brilliant band and I just want to take the time to thank Timbaland for bringing their music out for the rest of us to experience. `Bombay' is very satisfying, coupling hip-hop beats with intoxicating Middle Eastern vibes and vocals. Timbaland also reunites with his old partner Magoo on `Boardmeeting' with nice results. It's not the greatest track here, but it's still great. `Time' is different, featuring She Wants Revenge, and it's not quite as successful a pairing as the previous, but it'll definitely grow on you, that's for sure.
Some of his more rap influenced tracks are a little bland, like `Come & Get It' featuring 50 Cent and Tony Yayo or `Kill Yourself' featuring Sebastian and Attitude. It's not that they're awful it's just that their nothing new. They sound like they belong on a less expressive and expansive album, maybe like something done by 50 Cent himself. It's just not up to the standard that Timbaland sets for himself, although the piano beat running though `Kill Yourself' is a nice touch. `Fantasy' is decent, but Money takes over the track and it becomes more or less another pop-diva recording without much substance. I still don't understand the closing track `2 Man Show' featuring Elton John. It had so much potential, and Elton is a master of the ivory keys, but the track is a major disappointment. In the end `Shock Value' is a disc that should entertain and impress anyone wondering what Timbaland has rolled up his sleeve. Here's to his major success. Can't wait to see what he has in store for us next.
Free Music Review: Tasty beats however Hit: 3 StarsThis is the first hip-hop album that I had ever bought and I'm satisfied with it. I thought this was Timbaland's solo album, but in truth only the first track "Oh Timbaland" can be described as a solo effort. As for the whole album you can expect to listen to the unique beats that is his signature.
As genius as he is in creating beats, he is no lyricist or at least a keen observer of lyrics. Take the first four lines into the song "Miscommunication" which incidentally was not written by him as Timbaland could have suggested better rhymes instead of the ones there.
My favorite among his collaborators in this album is Keri Hilson. Her smooth singing voice provided counterbalance to Timbaland's throaty effort, as evidenced in the track "The Way I Are". Unfortunately I don't feel any chemistry between Timbaland and Hilson as the lyrics would have suggested. Timbaland, as charismatic he can be, just don't have the persona for flirting with a 'co-star'.
Another collaborator worth mentioning is Amar, the British/Indian singer on the track "Bombay". Here I'm particularly fond of Timbaland's accentuation of the upbeats, slight syncopation of the downbeats, added with the otherworldly qualities of Amar's Indian singing style.
The rest of the tracks I'm not really fond of. "2 Man Show" with Elton John for example, feels a bit dry and uninspiring. The tracks with fellow hip-hop collaborators I can't really decide as this is, after all, my first hip-hop album.
Free Music Review: One problem Hit: 4 StarsTimbaland has a talent for making hits, and there are so many potential singles on this thing it's not even funny. But there are a bunch of filler songs in the middle of the album that are disappointing.
There are a lot of good, fun, danceable songs on this CD, it's just that the bad songs really weigh down the good ones. Tracks 6-10 could've been left out quite easily. Since the cd is 17 tracks long, I'm constantly skipping over those songs to get to the good ones. It's just inconvenient.
Other than that, this is pretty good. Like I said before, it's just annoying to have to skip over a bunch of songs.
Favorites: The Way I Are, Bombay, Throw It On Me, Time, One & Only, Apologize
More Free Music Notes: First Review 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
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