Music

The 20/20 Experience Part Two

Following a 7-year absence from the music world, Justin Timberlake returned 6 months ago with the 20/20 Experience, an album with which the suit and tie attired star continued his love affair with creating accessible pop songs wrapped in an extensively constructed RnB production.

Working with Timbaland once more, the album exuded a suave and more mature feel than Timberlake’s earlier work although it could be argued that the production may not have progressed too much further from Futuresex/Lovesounds (2006).

Nevertheless, Timberlake’s legion of ordering fans were more than satiated by the ample amount of material he provided (most songs were over 5 minutes long, for better or for worse) on what is proving to be one of the top selling albums of 2013.

On the 20/20 Experience Part Two, Timberlake is still in the mood to be generous, with most material on this 12 song sequel once again over 5 minutes in duration.

If this year’s first album was Timberlake’s return as the suave, more mature crooner however, then its follow up marks the singer’s attempt to re-establish himself as an artist still capable of providing moments of genuine edginess with a darker and dirtier second part to the 20/20 experience.

This attempt at edginess is immediately obvious with opening track ‘Give Me What I Don’t Know (I Want)’ showcasing a darker, even more cluttered form of Timbaland’s now familiar production.

A funk laden guitar riff and heavy bass provides the canvas for a distorted Timberlake vocal, with the singer begging  ‘take me to your jungle/I’m not afraid’ in a song concerning lust and suppressed desires.

After 4 rather conventional minutes, the song switches into an overlong musical breakdown with samples decreeing ‘I am that new breed’ again reinforcing the overall theme of the album, to be darker and edgier throughout.

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On ‘True Blood’ , we find Timberlake tackling what appears to be a synth-laden dancehall beat, with a driving bass that will ensure the song many replays in clubs around the world.

The album’s second track again finds the singer yearning to reveal ‘the demon within’ and the ‘devil in his flesh’; the song is interspersed with distorted wolf howls and explicitly evokes Michael Jackson’s Thriller by sampling the maniacal laughter made famous in the late King of Pop’s infamous hit.

One of the album’s first high points arrives with Cabaret, a song that finds Timberlake returning to a pacing with which he seems far more comfortable. Beneath another cluttered piece of Timbaland production, lies a lounge jazz sample that helps to evoke the suave feeling of part one of the 20/20 experience. The song also features Timbaland’s first vocal appearance, demanding  the girl in question to ‘put on a show/ get on the floor’.

Yet again Timberlake goes out of his way to demonstrate this album’s riskier ambition with lyrics like, ‘ can we discuss how fast you just got undressed? / If this sex was a contest then you’re coming first’ and the cringe worthy ‘ I’ve got you saying Jesus so much, its like we’re lying in the manger’.

For all the heavy-handed machismo present throughout this second instalment of the 20/20 experience, Timberlake is always at his best during the slower, more heartfelt moments.

Indeed, Cabaret could well have been considered as one of Timberlake’s more forgettable bedroom jams, however, the inclusion of a motivated guest verse from Drake, elevates the track into a far more interesting and enjoyable piece of music.

Throughout the album Timberlake continually likens the women in his songs to that of dangerous forces whether it be a vampire in True Blood, a wild animal in Give Me What I Don’t Knot I Want, a championship boxer in TKO or a murderer in his second collaboration with rap mogul Jay Z, Murder.

Though his intentions are understandable, such an overt attempt to make his material appear more risqué in fact comes across as both disingenuous and overly laboured.

The album’s lead single ‘Take Back The Night’ is an exception to such lazy imagery; an infectious pop song, TBTN is a clear ode to JT’s idol, Michael Jackson, and yet despite Timberlake’s best efforts, it never really feels like reaching the heights of the ‘Off The Wall’ style material it so faithfully attempts to recreate.

Murder, featuring a guest verse from Jay Z, benefits from the good work of Timbaland, who produces yet another catchy piece of production, reminiscent of his past hit with Missy Elliot, ‘Get Ur Freak On’.

Trumpets are used to good effect to create a catchy verse structure and though Jay Z’s vocal again seems to lack the enthusiasm of his best work, Murder is sure to be a commercially successful single.

By the time the album reaches its concluding few tracks, however much you may love Justin Timberlake, no one will be able to escape the impression that nearly all of the songs on this new record are far too long.

Kanye West recently cited his work with Rick Rubin as being extremely beneficial to a minimalist approach, stating that the legendary producer was in fact a ‘reducer’.

Having now listened to both parts of the 20/20 experience, I can safely say that such an approach would be equally beneficial for a singer who as generous as it may seem, isn’t leaving enough on the cutting room floor.

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Despite the above reservations, the song ‘Drink You Away’ offers relief from Timberlake’s munificence, providing a bluesy, guitar led track with electric organs that is undoubtedly one of the most refreshing points on the album.

For all the heavy-handed machismo present throughout this second instalment of the 20/20 experience, Timberlake is always at his best during the slower, more heartfelt moments.

Tracks such as the unabashed slow jam ‘You Got It On’ and ‘Not a Bad Thing’ a song that could quite easily have featured on any of Timberlake’s earlier albums with boyband Nsync, both showcase the singer’s vocal ability at its strongest.

As an audience that has watched his evolution from boy band member to a fully established solo artist, we know when Timberlake is at his best and unfortunately this album’s tired attempts at risqué, simply aren’t needed at this stage in his career.

Despite the second part of the 20/20 experience feeling more like a collection of b-sides than a cohesive and pre-meditated record, any artist willing to provide his fans with over 2 hours of recorded music in a comeback year, is fully deserving of great praise.

One hopes that following what is sure to be a substantial world tour, Timberlake takes stock of where he is in his career, what he no longer needs to prove to the world as a performer and perhaps most importantly, hires an authoritative producer who will help reign in this undoubtedly talented musician.

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