Kelly Lamano
Co-Editor
The guy who once rocked the curly blonde hair is back with a brand new swag with the futuristic crooning of “The 20/20 Experience: 2 of 2.”
The album has been streaming on iTunes and will officially be released on Sept. 30.
Justin Timberlake teased fans earlier this year on his website with this statement: “Back in June of last year, I quietly started working on what is now, my net journey with the thing I love called MUSIC. The inspiration for this really came out of the blue and to be honest, I didn’t expect anything out of it.”
Compared to Part 1 of the “20/20 Experience,” this album is a bit darker.
It’s just as neo-soul-esque as the previous album. There’s no doubt that JT is a man of R&B.
“Gimme What I Don’t Know (I Want)” is a seductive first track, which is no surprise. It features record-scratching, claps, and percussion.“True Blood” is a sinister track, describing a mysterious woman who is comparable to a demon, ready to pounce on her male prey. It’s been called the “Thriller” of 2013 by many critics.
“Cabaret” featuring Drake is carefully crafted. Usually a “featuring” tag these days entails the artist sing or rap for a very minimal amount, such as a chorus or bridge of a song.
But Drake delivers just as much as JT does, making it a solid collaboration.
“TKO,” the album’s second single, is a surefire winner and by-far the catchiest track.
JT compares the fight in a relationship to that of a boxing match. It cuts, it hurts and he feels knocked down. In the end, it’s all about getting back up and walking away from the fight.
“Take Back the Night,” the album’s first single, has been compared to the smooth sounds and falsettos of the King of Pop, Michael Jackson.
The song’s title was previously under fire because of the sexual assault awareness foundation of the same name.
In response, JT released a statement saying that the song had no association with the foundation, and that he has the utmost respect for the foundation in encouraging healthy relationships.
It’s no surprise that the next track, “Murder,” features Jay-Z, who joined JT for the “Legends of the Summer Stadium Tour” this year. The lyrics, “She’s a killer. Watch it get down” seem to be a nod to the Jackson 5’s “Dancing Machine,” which sings “She’s a dancing machine. Watch her get down.”
“Drink You Away” features an acoustic guitar and hand clapping on a loop. It’s like a song that might be heard after you’ve been sitting in a bar for so long and it’s close to closing time, so the ongoing song plays.
The final four tracks slow things down, with “You Got It On,” “Amnesia,” “Only When I Walk Away,” and “Not a Bad Thing.” It’s the softer side of Timberlake we first heard on his debut album, “Justified.”
“The 20/20 Experience: 1 of 2” was all about reestablishing JT’s game. It was a baby-making album in which Timberlake serenaded his subjects in songs such as “Mirrors” and “Strawberry Bubblegum.”
“The 20/20 Experience: 2 of 2” gives fans a more vulnerable side to Timberlake, but with the same R&B flavor.With both albums combined, 10 tracks on the first one and 11 on the second one, give us the full “20/20 Experience.”
JT continues to kill it for the remainder of the year on “The 20/20 Experience World Tour,” inviting fans to experience perfect vision with him.
