25 March 2013
By Shelby Clemons, Staff Writer
Comebacks are always exciting in the music industry, and though Justin Timberlake hasn’t released a full studio album in seven years, it feels as though he never left. It’s been years since his ‘N Sync days, but somehow Justin Timberlake (JT) has managed to create a post-boy band career for himself and stay in the spotlight. Since the very first pictures of Justin Timberlake and Jay Z filming the music video for the hit single “Suit & Tie” hit the web, fans have been eagerly awaiting the release of The 20/20 Experience, making it the number one album on iTunes before it even came out.
To top it all off, at the album’s release party, JT confirmed that this is only half of a two-part album, the rest of which will be released later this year. An amazing Grammy performance of the already-hit song “Suit & Tie” added hype to the album, which is beautifully done. R&B-infused and full of moody, smooth synthetics, The 20/20 Experience is a great comeback for Timberlake.
Many people have pointed out that the ten-track album has songs that average seven minutes each, and perhaps this is where the album struggles. In some cases though, this enhances the album, such as with the eight-minute long “Strawberry Bubblegum,” which is so smooth and dream-like that you can’t get bored when JT is on the mic.
I can’t help but bring up “Suit & Tie” again, because this song is just so catchy, though Jay Z’s part isn’t as promising as we hoped (side note: watch the music video, you won’t be sorry). “Mirrors” and “Tunnel Vision” are both songs to listen to, the former being a great pop song with old-school flare and the latter being another exciting mesh of genres.
R&B is not everyone’s style, and there’s not much to compare this album to, but I feel somehow drawn to it. Perhaps it’s JT’s soft, sweet voice that reminds us of why we swooned over him back in his ‘N Sync days that’s so appealing. There’s not a ton to complain about other than it’s not everyone’s scene, but even at that it seems like it could draw in a wide range of people.
20/20 is certainly an experience, and has been worth the seven-year wait for fans. The 20/20 Experience almost flawlessly proves how effortlessly JT combines R&B with modern taste to create a successful new album.
Courtesy of abullseyeview.com