Justin Timberlake is an icon of American pop culture. Whether you know him as Mr. Sexy Back, fake Sean Parker or the dancing omelet from Saturday Night Live, Timberlake has no doubt affected your life, and possibly your hormones, from time to time. Last month, Timberlake returned to the industry that made him big, releasing his third solo album, The 20/20 Experience. Timberlake’s last album, FutureSex/LoveSounds, was released seven years ago. That far-from-slumping sophomore effort boasted an impressive six singles, sold over four million copies in the United States alone and was single-handedly responsible for the enormous worldwide spike in births in 2006.
As a critic focused more on Timberlake’s acting career than his music, I had no idea what to expect when I began listening to The 20/20 Experience. With limited knowledge of Timberlake’s music career, I was still able to accurately predict much of the album’s content. That being said, I was far from prepared for the album’s over seventy-minute run time.
“Suit and Tie,” the first single from The 20/20 Experience, is one of the album’s shorter tracks, clocking in at just over five minutes. The track features many trademarks of Timberlake’s music, including his incredible vocal abilities, a horn section reminiscent of 70s R&B music and memorable beats just as suited for the dance floor as they are for the bedroom. Timberlake’s lyrics paint a vivid picture of Tom Ford tuxedos and a night on the dance floor. These lyrics are far from incredible, but serve the material well. Jay-Z is featured on the track, bringing the best near-rhymes he has to offer. His presence is welcome, but weak in comparison to Timberlake’s catchy chorus and vocal performance.
The opening riff for the album’s second single, “Mirrors,” sounds more a Killers song than a Timberlake tune. Once again, Timberlake delivers a catchy hook with the song’s chorus. The lyrical content and musical style are reminiscent of an old ‘N Sync single, with the added maturity Timberlake has gained from years both performing and producing in the music industry. The vocal production on this track is particularly impressive, featuring four part harmonies, provided entirely by Timberlake, as well as beatboxing that would put even the best drum machine to shame. “Mirrors” is, by far, the album’s standout track, and it delivers some of the best music and production the album has to cover. Despite being one of the album’s longer tracks, “Mirrors” never feels its length; the same can’t be said for many of the other tracks on the album.
The 20/20 Experience delivers on many levels. Timberlake fans will certainly get their fill of catchy hooks and seductive music. There’s very little to criticize about the production of the record. It’s exactly what it sets out to be. If there’s anything to criticize, it is that Timberlake fails to break any new ground with the record. FutureSex/LoveSounds was a game changer for both the music industry and Timberlake as an artist. Timberlake further hones the style he used throughout FutureSex/LoveSounds with The 20/20 Experience. Timbaland returns to produce the album, a fact I had to look up to verify, as his presence is noticeably subdued.
The 20/20 Experience was an enjoyable listen, but I doubt I’ll find myself repeating the venture. The experience was good, but not great; a disappointment considering the massive amount of hype this album received prior to its release. It lacks the appeal of previous Timberlake efforts like FutureSex/LoveSounds or the pop novelty of the ’ N Sync era. Select tracks will sure appear on a lot of dance playlists, but the album as a whole fails to captivate beyond the initial listen.
