audio review : Everything I Thought It Was ( album ) … Justin Timberlake

audio review : Everything I Thought It Was ( album ) ... Justin Timberlake

Is this “great new JT album” Everything I Thought It Was going to be? Basically yes. A decent; nowhere near great; soul croon set with perhaps a few good songs is what I’ve come to expect from Justin Timberlake and that’s exactly what this is. He’s still romancing the girls with declarations of Love; the conceptual crutch for his genre of choice; and calling up Timbaland to make beats. Listen for the producer’s inept vocal ad-libs.

The reason Justin Timberlake never reached; again nowhere near; the level of Michael Jackson; his most obvious comparison in regard to career trajectory; to my ears is that his songs just don’t pop. Never mind his lack of stylistic flair. All it would take to make this album good, maybe even “great”, are better melodies, specifically at the choruses where it matters. The best here in that regard include Conditions, No Angels and Selfish.

my rating : 3 of 5

2024

good rap albums

  • OG : Original Gangster [ Ice-T ]

audio review : In A Major Way ( album ) … E-40

audio review : In A Major Way ( album ) ... E-40

Listen to Da Bumble. It’s one long verse and it showcases just how unique E-40 is when it comes to rapping. It’s not really a matter of substance. His ghetto gab isn’t particularly clever or witty. It’s how he says what he says; his flamboyant flow and slangy style; that makes it both funny and addictive.

E-40 is the dope boy, after all, providing street drugs to the masses. This album offers back-to-back fixes until about halfway when the quality suddenly drops, mostly due to weak hooks. That’s when you start to realize that, though better than his Federal debut, it would’ve been better as another EP.

my rating : 4 of 5

1995

audio review : With A Little Help From My Friends ( song ) … Joe Cocker

Joe Cocker is no Friend of The Beatles. He took their song, revamped it and outclassed them to the point where they may as well stop performing it and pretend it was for him all along. Cocker’s version is both a melodic and sonic improvement thanks to the musically liberties taken not only by him but producer Denny Cordell. The two transform what was once a simple ditty into a soulful rock anthem.

my rating : 5 of 5

1968

audio review : 2000 Watts ( song ) … Michael Jackson

There seems to be a conceptual conflict with this being both a “dance” anthem and music to blast in your car at “high speed”; it would be hard to do both at once; but the main issue is the deepening effect on the lead vocals. It’s an artistic decision that, on an official Michael Jackson song, borders blasphemy.

The cut; literally the missing title song cut from Tyrese’s newest album, oddly enough; starts in the middle (mediocre) lane but soon reaches “the next level” as Michael Jackson puts you in the groove. It’s his ad-libs during the peak that boost it. The beat, whether you’re driving or dancing to it, is also a banger.

my rating : 4 of 5

2001

audio review : Invincible ( album ) ... Michael Jackson