Justin Timberlake - FutureSex/LoveSounds
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=I289T8S9
1. (00:04:02) Justin Timberlake - FutureSex/LoveSound
2. (00:04:03) Justin Timberlake - SexyBack (Ft. Timbaland)
3. (00:05:33) Justin Timberlake - Sexy Ladies/Let Me Talk To You (Prelude)
4. (00:04:36) Justin Timberlake - My Love (Ft. T.I.)
5. (00:07:24) Justin Timberlake - LoveStoned/I Think She Knows (Interlude)
6. (00:07:29) Justin Timberlake - What Goes Around.../...Comes Around (Interlude)
7. (00:05:04) Justin Timberlake - Chop Me Up (Ft. Timbaland & Three-6 Mafia)
8. (00:05:13) Justin Timberlake - Damn Girl (Ft. Will.I.Am)
9. (00:06:24) Justin Timberlake - Summer Love/Set The Mood (Prelude)
10. (00:05:23) Justin Timberlake - Until The End Of Time (Ft. The Benjamin Wright Orchestra)
11. (00:05:22) Justin Timberlake - Losing My Way
12. (00:05:49) Justin Timberlake - (Another Song) All Over Again
13. (00:04:47) Justin Timberlake - Pose (Ft. Snoop Dogg)
14. (00:03:58) Justin Timberlake - SexyBack (Remix) (Ft. Clipse)
Pre-Listen:
I am going into this album expecting a few VERY radio-friendly singles, and then the usual boy-group album filler material. I've never been a big Justin Timberlake fan, and even though I enjoy all types of music, 'commercial RnB' (if there is an offical term for boy bands) has never been a favorite of mine. But, as all music - I am going into this album with an open mind, as a prejudice on the music will pre-form decisions, and change the way I hear every song. With that stated, lets roll through these tracks.
Track Notes:
1. FutureSex/LoveSound - Obviously going for a futuristic sound. Some interesting Blip Bass with a melody similar to 'Another One Bites The Dust'. Very simple harmonies, and an interesting vocoder used on J.T.'s voice. The loss of clarity seems to be more to blend with the music then anything else. Decent track. Not a great opening track.
2. SexyBack (Ft. Timbaland) - Big opening first single. Staying futuristic with layered synths. I like Timberlands presence on the track, not enough for a feature, but a nice add to the hook. Melody is oddly addictive. Almost has a Neptune feel with the drumming and the synths. A little too repetative for me, with not many change ups. It's a catchy track, but not my fav.
3. Sexy Ladies/Let Me Talk To You (Prelude) - ok. First off - the 80's synths is ASS. Yuck. This sounds like a mid 90's boy-band B side record. The beat gets two thumbs down for real, although the harmony is decent on this track. Really not feeling it overall though.
4. My Love (Ft. T.I.) - In my opinion - this track should have been the opening single. Amazingly catchy synth usage for the main melody, and addicting harmonies all the way through, from the verse, to the bridge, to the hook/chorus. More from Timbo on the hook, always a nice addition. I won't lie, I am singing along. Excellent crossover appeal bringing in T.I. The beat seems a little fast for his usual southern style track, but he hits it nicely.
5. LoveStoned/I Think She Knows (Interlude) - One thing I love about this album is it has a few 'interludes' which are actually double tracks. Reminds me of mid-70's soul records with longer than normal tracks that almost told a longer story because there were so many changes with the music. Anyways - part one of this - has some nice strings, and guitar usage, with a strong bassline. It's almost going back to the boy-group style song though, and I'm not feeling it's something I would regularly play. Part II - A super nice change up - with JT beatboxing in the background, rolling into a sole guitar playing. This part is slower, but I'm loving the melody, and the ease of the harmonies. It's almost just a bridge, but yet, an entire song in itself. 'I think she knows' (pt.I) was meh to me, but 'LoveStoned' (pt. II) made this track an excellent play.
6. What Goes Around.../...Comes Around (Interlude) - Another one of the two part songs. Part I has an excellent southern guitar loop layered over another guitar. One of Timberlands gems for this project for sure. I like the storyline on this, and the melody's on the bridge and hook. Pt.II - OH MY. Timberland is usually a King with keyboards, but on this part he flips a basic sample, and adds his usual bassy drumming sequences, and fast hat runs. JT kills this coming back on point with the storyline. Excellent tie between the two songs, and both are super nice. This track is excellent overall.
7. Chop Me Up (Ft. Timbaland & Three-6 Mafia) - Ok. First of all I saw 3-6 as a feature, and I was like... No. Simply - no. BUT, first verse I'm loving JT's more grown level lyrics. No more boy band style - he's going for a grown appeal, and it's working. This has potential to be an excellent third single. I was surprised at Timberland actually doing an entire verse on here. I'm used to him helping on hooks at most. Let alone doing an entire hook himself. Now he's got an entire verse. It's got that same vocoder on his voice giving it a rough static feel. WHOA - Beat change for the third verse, I can see this popping off in the club. Super Strong synth and excellent colab. Not what I expected at all. Excellent track.
8. Damn Girl (Ft. Will.I.Am) - I'm loving the drumming sequences on this. Very pop-single style, similar to Black Eyed Peas sound right now. I love the wurlitzer piano in the background! haha. Nice. The hook is most definately enjoyable - reminds me of soul music again. Will.I.Ams verse is... well... uh... typical B.E.P. rap. Still - a catchy track.
9. Summer Love/Set The Mood (Prelude) - Ok Ok... Loving this beat. Some nice synths - but just light enough for you to wonder if they are synths. JT comes in nice on the verse, good melody, and a great feel. I'm digging this jam for real. Excellent Hook - good string addition in the background, as well as some slight horns. Bridge - good switch up. Part II 'Set The Mood' - I love how JT is hittin every level with this album. He has a techno-ish style, very alternative on some tracks, an urban feel, the obvious pop feel we're accustomed to, but with this song a very nice Marques Houston-esqe RnB feel. Good melody's, an extremely catchy baby-makin music feel. This song is Amazing.
10. Until The End Of Time (Ft. The Benjamin Wright Orchestra) - Interesting beat - some odd reverbs on some of the drums, and synths. Another good RnB feeling record. The bridge has me thinking 'Earth Wind & Fire', not 'Bye Bye Bye'. Definately an excellent mix-up track, and not just filler. I like the addition of the orchestra - adds so much depth to a track like this. Great track.
11. Losing My Way - Interesting beat. JT hits a serious note here with a serious track. Good storytelling, and an excellent melody. I like it. The choir is a nice addition as well. Almost like their voices are an extension of the beat. Very Nice.
12. (Another Song) All Over Again - Excellent feeling song right here. Has a John Lennon meets John Legend 'live' feel almost. Haha. Yea, this is a nice jam. Finally it's mostly vocals and there is the clarity there as well. Excellent slow jam.
13. Pose (Ft. Snoop Dogg) - Yuck @ the beat. Technoish and sounds straight ugly. This hook is meh. Idea is kind of played, and seems like a track Madonna should have done about 10-15 years ago. Sounds like something you would hear on a Kodak commercial, not on the new JT album. Snoops verse is average at best. These two could have colab'd on something ALOT hotter. yuck.
14. SexyBack (Remix) (Ft. Clipse) - Same as the original, but with a nice rap remix. Not much else to say - Clipse verse was nice.
Overview:
There were a few tracks that I thought were fairly weak on this album. BUT, usually you'd be saying there were a few tracks I LIKED. Most albums these days have 2-5 single records that sound really nice, and the rest of the album is filler. I think this album was excellent through-out with very few weak spots. ('Pose' & 'Sexy Ladies/Let Me Talk To You') I thought there were a few exceptional tracks that stood out to me, not just off this album, but as original sounding tracks, that I'm sure I'll be listening to years down the road. ('Summer Love/Set The Mood', 'What Goes Around.../...Comes Around', 'My Love', etc) This album was something different and something the same, bringing a new JT sound, but more of the same JT style. If you're close minded to most Pop music, this album probably isn't better than average, but if you listen to this album and hear the depth of music on most tracks alone - you'd respect this album. Catchy tracks, faster club style jams, excellent slow material, and some truth in a few serious tracks. In my opinion - a pretty damn good album. word.
Rating: 8.5 (on the classic 'Phenom - 10.5' rating system that scores 0-10.5)