Disappointing. In line with his recent actions, Justin Timberlake, with this new album, disappoints expectations.
His last album was in 2018. Man of the Woods explored new territories and pleased some members of the critics quite well, but also put off some others. At least emotions were running high in reaction to this album. With Everything I Thought It Was, this time, Justin Timberlake does not evoke any feelings. Except for boredom, maybe. As he recalls the value he once had on the pop scene (“You gon’be a star, they said,” he begins on the first track, Memphis), which he boasts a few times on the album, the singer does not prove that he still really has his place.
A song like F****n’Up The Discofor example, is surprisingly insipid. No Angelsright after, doesn’t do any better, bringing back the funky bass-led groove that Timberlake often used. Infinite Sex says nothing, goes around in circles. The productions (some of them being signed by Timbaland) do not have much merit, do not provide much to arouse interest.
The lyrics aren’t uplifting either. Never. In fact, it seems that every possible shortcut is at work (from repetition and poor rhymes to the many ways of saying it’s excellent), so much so that one wonders how he managed to achieve it. to make 18 songs, for 1 hour 17 minutes of listening time.
Even the return of N’SYNC on the album, on the song Paradise, does not provoke any emotion. Justin Timberlake lives in the past, not in a stirringly nostalgic way, but rather in a way that makes one cringe, in both his themes and his sounds.
However, some pieces stand out. Technicolorproduced by Timbaland, is catchy. Selfish, the second single released without making too many waves at the beginning of the year, is also rather nice, a perfect ballad for the radio. The pop-rock song Sanctifiedin a duet with rising rap star Tobe Nwigwe, gives a little color to the album.
If he was so keen on this return, Justin Timberlake could have done some real introspection, reconsidered his actions and concocted an album marking a return marked with sincerity. Perhaps it would have been received with reluctance, but it would at least have had the merit of conveying something interesting, worth listening to.
Pop
Everything I Thought It Was
Justin Timberlake
RCA Records