Up until his announcement, I didn't know Justin Timberlake was gearing up for an album release this year. I was very intrigued by the singles, with "Filthy" and "Supplies" being instant hits in my books. And right before he took one of the biggest stages in the world, he dropped the whole album, Man of the Woods. Being a big fan of The 20/20 Experience and FutureSex/LoveSounds, I was very much looking forward to the new album and his exploration of a different set of sounds and inspirations.
As I've listened through the album a few times now and have really given me enough time to avoid a knee-jerk reaction, I find that what I'm left with is...disappointment. Don't get me wrong, there are some really, really good songs on here. Songs that show his ability to explore and expand and mix his pop roots with a variety of sounds. "Filthy" and "Supplies" are easily my favorite songs off the record, both having swagger and grooving in different ways (click either song to see my full reviews).
Other songs showcased the Americana/Country sounds he worked with throughout the album, like "Say Something (feat. Chris Stapleton)", "Man of the Woods", or "Livin Off The Land". These ones all were a fairly even balance of pop/hip-hop sounds with his southern roots, not leaning too far one direction or the other.
"Say Something" manages to feel big and sweeping without being overwhelming, building acoustic elements with the back and forth of the vocals between Timberlake and Stapleton never overtaking each other. The mood created is emotionally binding without being too specific or over the top, as a lot of country music can be.
"Man of the Woods" brings the lightheartedness country music can have over an 808 beat, which seems like it wouldn't work so well (and there are other tracks where this doesn't work) but slides along in a smooth and laid back manner. "Livin Off the Land" feels a bit more pulled back in terms of the pace and tone, a bit darker and more earthy, fitting with the subject matter. The beat on this song also feels like something from a hip-hop track, but mixes with the richness of the bass and the guitar in a way that makes you realize, as Timberlake said in an interview, "you just didn't know you could dance to the mountains" (see the whole interview here).
"Higher Higher" and "Morning Light (feat. Alicia Keys)" both play more on the RnB sound, which Timberlake has delved into before, but in a more mature and grown-up manner, focusing on the love of his life and not seducing a random woman. Both of these songs are good, but it's that approach to the lyrical content and focus that help them to stand out.
However, I can't say that the whole album hit the mark. Songs like "Midnight Summer Jam", "Sauce", and "Flannel" were all further attempts to mix americana with pop and hip-hop sounds that just didn't quite land. They feel too jumbled, too much going on at once for anything to blend smoothly. The first two songs feel like they could be even more sensual, but instead, the bright tones of the country and americana influences give it too much twang to really create a mood.
These songs feel like Timberlake is trying to go a direction that ends up being forced instead of a natural, creative project. He wanted to explore his roots and homeland with this album, but the main issue is that these were sounds and musical ideas that he really never utilized in his music before (apart from "Drink You Away" from his last release, which combined country with his signature pop/hip-hop sound in a way that felt good and smooth). In the same interview I referenced earlier, he talks about how being from the South, he and those around him felt he was a good fit to explore the sounds of where he's from with where he has gone in life (see that here). I feel like it just didn't mesh like he had hoped. The soul searching, the "introspective" aspect of the album that he discusses, ends up feeling too scattered, too lost in different directions to go far any one way. At times, Man of the Woods feels like a man who isn't quite sure of himself, at least in terms of the musical sound he wants to put out. It's a bit ironic - an album that is rooted in nature and being at home in the woods and mountains that ends up feeling forced and unnatural.
In the end, this record will make a splash, but not a big enough ripple to upset the music scene for too long. It's a good pop record - it's definitely got some songs that will get radio time and "Filthy" will most definitely end up somewhere high in my top songs for the year. But the album won't make it, I know that much; hopefully the 5 or so years of waiting for Timberlake's next record will produce an album that feels a bit more natural.
Rating: 3/5
Recommended: "Filthy", "Supplies", "Montana", "Say Something (feat. Chris Stapleton)"
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