Attention, everyone: Justin Timberlake is head-over-heels, ecstatic and deeply in love and his new album The 20/20 Experience tells the world about his amazing euphoria. The album is loaded with R&B goodies dedicated to making love and finding a connection that lasts forever. Timberlake is notably working in the same style of music rather than crossing over to the electronic hits currently topping the charts. Even so, this album is a bit cleaner, more mature and more focused than his previous album FutureSex/LoveSounds.

20/20‘s opening track “Pusher Love Girl” greets listeners with dramatic violins and then reels them in with a sexy, thumping base – Timberlake’s voice cooing to his “little pusher love girl.”

Background vocalists aid Timberlake’s easy falsetto with soul and rhythm, along with trumpets enticing and adding to the drama of the song. Fabulous riffs are provided by an organ, and listeners immediately know Timberlake pulled out all the stops for this album.

All of the songs on the album are around six or seven minutes, and listeners get the sense that Timberlake is genuinely enjoying himself in the studio, putting everything he can into each track. Even the simpler songs, like “Don’t Hold the Wall” and “Let the Groove Get In” are destined to be party-starting, club-thumping jams, once the inevitable electronic remixes are made. Otherwise, every song is a sweet ode to love. The album is full of baby-making music, like “Spaceship Coupe,” where Timberlake wants to take his lady love on a trip to “make love on the moon,” or “Tunnel Vision” where Timberlake only has eyes for one girl in the whole world.

Of course, The 20/20 Experience has Timberlake’s hit “Suit & Tie” and all its Tom Ford glory.

Honestly, when I first heard the song, it was not my favorite. I thought it was a bit silly and trite. Still, the song is fun to sing and come on, it features Jay-Z! “Suit & Tie” is a bit old-school, with Timberlake wanting to “show you a few things.” This makes me think that Timberlake has done some growing, and the song picks charm over allure, love over sex, like much of Timberlake’s album.

Whereas FutureSex/LoveSounds was made up of hasty club songs, many of the tracks on 20/20 are slow jams.

“That Girl” is one of the best slow jams on this record, with Timberlake being introduced “all the way from Memphis, Tennessee” with the Tennessee Kids. This song sounds like Al Green and Marvin Gaye took Timberlake aside and taught him how to sing love songs. “That Girl” is dripping with sincerity and soul as well as clarity. Timberlake is sure of what he wants, declaring “I’m in love with THAT girl.” This is it; Timberlake has the love of his life. Sorry everyone, the man is taken.

Of course, Timberlake has invited us to share the love, penning “Mirrors,” the most romantic song on the album. The song is reportedly inspired by the love between his grandparents and is about a deep relationship that lasts a lifetime. “Mirrors” is about that person that is an extension of oneself, the other half, the one you can’t live without. The song is lovely, with a lively chorus of violins and an emotional moment of a cappella. In the very sweet second half, the most moving lyric is perhaps when Timberlake, over the refrain “You are the love of my life,” sings “Now I say goodbye to the old me.”

Another notable song is the last one, which is entitled “Blue Ocean Floor.” This song departs from the rest of the album in sound, but maintains the overall love theme. “Blue Ocean Floor” sounds like water, giving and taking, swelling and falling. With faint beach sounds in the background, this song is quite personal, and Timberlake whispers passionate reassurances to his love, promising to always be there for her and neatly punctuating the album.

Timberlake’s 20/20 Experience is a wonderful album, reflecting his musical growth but maintaining the R&B infused pop hits he’s known for. There is something for everyone on this album, and Timberlake puts his heart and soul into every track. 20/20 once again establishes his musical staying power and relevance: his undeniable talent gives Timberlake the ability to release albums seven years apart and still be successful. Word on the street is that there is a second volume of The 20/20 Experience to be released later this year. While we wait, listeners can suit up for classy time with Timberlake’s fabulous new album of love songs and fantasize about the special someone in their life – or be compelled to go find them.

– By Jordie Davies 

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia

Emory Wheel
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The Emory Wheel was founded in 1919 and is currently the only independent, student-run newspaper of Emory University. The Wheel publishes weekly on Wednesdays during the academic year, except during University holidays and scheduled publication intermissions.

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