When Justin Timberlake makes a comeback, he makes it big. While everyone was still going ecstatic over The 20/20 Experience, he revealed that it was only the first of two parts, immediately building the hype and excitement for the next part. When it dropped this last week, the fans could finally hear the rest of Justin Timberlake's explosive jump back into the music scene. I knew that the expectations would probably exceed the result, due to the first part being fantastic. I was pleasantly surprised, however, to find that this album holds it's own as part continuation, part sequel. Even though the songs were recorded at the same time as those from Part 1, they have a different vibe and different sounds. It was probably engineered this way, for I'm sure JT wanted to create different listening experiences with each album, even though they are connected. In this aspect, he most definitely succeeded.
There is a definite division in this album, with the two halves containing different emotional drives and moods. The electric synth, hip-hop beat driven first half unfolds into the more acoustic guitar, orchestrally led second. Songs like "TKO", "True Blood", "Gimme What I Don't Know (I Want)", and lead single "Take Back The Night" contain a higher-level energy, making you want to dance to the beat and sing along with a smile. "Gimme What I Don't Know (I Want)" opens the album in a much different fashion than Part 1, with multilayered vocals quickly giving way to JT's signature beat-boxing combined with some hip-hop drums and a groovin' bass line. The song has some funk to it, thanks to that bass line and the guitar that subtly fades into the chorus. All this is complemented by JT's vocals, which soar over the instrumental as he greatly utilizes his falsetto on this song as he compells the muse of his song to come to him. The chorus, thanks to both Timberlake's lyrics and vocals and the resounding beats, inspires a jungle vibe, which is further confirmed and solidified by the bridge section, that is punctuated by animal noises and Timberland speaking of "deep in the jungle, the animals come out". The next song, however, takes on a far different theme than an animalistic lover, although the implications are similar in a sense. "True Blood" is about what your first thoughts probably are; a lover with vampire qualities. The song overall has a very Halloween vibe, thanks to many lyrical references to creepy and spooky things and well placed wolf howls, which I'm sure will inspire a rise in popularity as it comes nearer to Halloween. It also feels a bit like Michael Jackson's "Thriller", not only because of the supernatural influence, but due to the bridge/spoken word section, that JT and Timberland speak in low tones with ghostly shrieks in the background to create a chilling mood. I very much enjoy the extended nature of this song; clocking in at more than 9 and a half minutes, it creates a haunting experience that makes you want to grove along at a eerily decorated Halloween party in some wacky costume. It'll be interesting if they make a music video for this song.
Not all of the songs, however, are themed quite in this manner. "Cabaret", for example, is a more pop/hip-hop track that talks about the same sort of material, just in a more mainstream manner. This song is one of the two songs with a guest spot, with this song featuring Drake, a pairing I found odd in theory, but excellent in practice. His rap spot fits the vibe of the song perfectly, along with some great lines and a well placed section of his signature singing/rapping. JT himself has some hilarious, yet not so appropriate lines, which I won't repeat (you'll have to listen to it for yourself). His vocals complement the romantic, yet hard-hitting nature of the song, emphasizing the softer side more, and creating some fantastic contrast. Another example of a more expected theme within a song is lead single "Take Back The Night", a tribute to a gone age of big bands, flashing lights, and soul-filled music. It definitely has a Michael Jackson vibe to it, but JT makes sure to make it his own. The addition of The Tennessee Kids adds not only flare, but legitimacy for Timberlake as an artist. As this world moves farther and farther into the electronic age, it's nice to hear some real instruments; blasting trumpets, funky bass lines, and some driving drum set rhythm. This goes to say, however, that electronic isn't a bad thing. Songs like "TKO" and "Murder" both contain high amounts of electronic based instruments and still show a high quality of musicianship. "TKO", as you might guess, is more based around a boxing theme, and is driven by sharp beats and climbing and falling synth lines. JT sings of not a knockout girl, as one might expect, but a girl who knocks him out because she isn't who she used to be anymore."Murder", the other track on the record with a guest artist, comes in as a middle ground between the electronic and the authentic, containing striking beats combined with loud brass jabs and a slick guitar line. Jay-Z provides a rap for this song with some clever lines and good contrast, and furthering the musical relationship between the two, since they continue to do guest spots for each other.
Now, I earlier mentioned that there was a clear division in this album. This starts with "Drink You Away", a surprising blend of Southern Gospel and danceable country. Timberlake even manages to throw a hint of a country twang on his voice, creating a vastly different listening experience than the previous songs on the album. It isn't fast paced, but does not feel slow thanks to the upbeat nature and despite the lamenting nature of the song. The acoustic guitar and slightly distorted electric guitar definitely further the country vibe, and help to make this song a nice break from the dominating hip-hop/pop nature of what the listener has been experiencing. The next song, "You Got It On", opens with a radically different sound, somewhat bringing back the pop and hip-hop sounds. However, it doesn't feel nearly as driving, but instead bringing down the pace of the album with a soulful feel. JT is definitely romancing with this song, and he's not trying to rush it at all. The song finishes off with an orchestral outro, helping to finalize the old-time feel of the song, and transitioning right into the next song "Amnesia", which is a little more urgent in nature as the beat-boxing kicks in and Justin sings over Timberland providing some bass. This song fades into a more emotion led, stripped down outro of bass kicks, key jangles, and sharp snare hits, with plucked and bowed strings complementing JT as he soars in and out of falsetto. "Only When I Walk Away" builds the intensity present in the last song even more, even taking on a angry tone accented but a roaring guitar and some vocal distortion. JT gets into this song, almost yelling at points as he sings of a flip-flop lover who continues to change their mind. The transition at almost 4 minutes keeps the same energy level, yet channels the emotions through a hard-hitting beat that drives the song as JT howls how she loves him "only when I walk away". The last minute changes as well, bringing down the energy this time, but instilling a foreboding sense in the listener. The last song on the album, "Not A Bad Thing", is also the longest song, clocking in at a lengthy 11:32. The first half is a more pure pop sound, almost reminiscent of JT's earliest days in his career. He tries to convince a girl that she should give him a chance to be her man. The second half, however, takes on a completely different sound, solely being driven by a picked guitar and eventually strings. JT's voice also switches up during this part, taking on a very soft and sensual tone to inspire a time in music long gone. It's a very beautiful way to end the album, and is a last effort to reveal the diversity Timberlake has as an artist.
After listening to this whole album, I'm very glad Justin Timberlake decided to do 2 parts of his album and release all these songs, for there are some great new additions to his library on this latest release. Not everything was absolutely perfect, but you could tell it all had a lot of effort and work put into it. My only major problem with the album overall was the higher amount of swearing present. I don't mind it, but it felt unnecessary at times and almost forced in for the sake of having it. That said, I still love the album, and am excited to see what JT does in the future. 4.5/5
Track-list:
Gimme What I Don't Know (I Want) - 5:15 (5/5)
True Blood - 9:31 (5/5)
Cabaret (feat. Drake) - 4:33 (5/5)
TKO - 7:04 (5/5)
Take Back The Night - 5:55 (5/5)
Murder (feat. Jay-Z) - 5:08 (4/5)
Drink You Away - 5:31 (5/5)
You Got It On - 5:56 (4/5)
Amnesia - 7:05 (4/5)
Only When I Walk Away - 7:06 (5/5)
Not A Bad Thing - 11:32 (4/5)
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