Much hype surrounded Justin Timberlake’s third album, “The 20/20 Experience”; the main reason being that it was his first new album in seven years. Although that’s definitely not the longest span between pop albums (the eleven year gap between No Doubt’s “Rock Steady” and “Push and Shove” surely takes that honor). However, he was far from quite during those seven years, as he appeared in many film roles and was featured in hit songs like “4 Minutes” and “Love Sex Magic”. All that activity kept him visible during the hiatus of his musical career, so come 2013, he decided to reward his ardent fans with “Suit and Tie”, a duet with Jay-Z meant to bring back the throwback soul of the 60s with Jay-Z bringing a modern, urban twist.
Exactly what “Suit and Tie” promised: a collection of tracks that shows that Justin is definitely back, but he’s channeled all of his ambition into his persona and the hype, not his music. In his twentieth year of stardom, he had a whole world of producers and songwriters at his disposal, but his collaborator of choice is none other than Timbaland, who helped create “FutureSex/LoveSounds” back in 2006. This choice clearly indicates that Justin is not concerned about the cutting edge, and “The 20/20 Experience” reflects that. Try as it might, it’s simply not a complete update on the soul grooves of the 40s, 50s, and 60s. Remember, since Timba-Lake helmed all of the tracks here, they quickly lose focus and head back into safe, R&B territory, the kind that’s found in “Tunnel Vision” and “Mirrors”. But more importantly, since this is a Justin Timberlake album, he works overtime to inflate the songs well past their limit, and the whole album clocks in at a daunting 70 minutes. Now, there have been plenty of pop albums that well exceed the seventy-minute mark, but most of those albums were at least fifteen songs in length, not ten. Averaging seven minutes a song, “The 20/20 Experience” becomes exhausting to listen to well before the opener “Pusher Lover Girl” is even finished. There’s nothing in the production, melody, or rhythms that justify the excessive length the songs Also, try as he might, Justin is not Usher, although he is still as equally charismatic and sexy, he can’t channel it into his thin, boyish vocals. Especially on a blown-out production like “The 20/20 Experience”, he constantly struggles to push the songs along because he’s singing music that he doesn’t have half the voice for. However, in hindsight, Justin was never really about singing, he was about style, the kind that’s found in high-profile galas and glitzy discos. While it’s definitely admirable for Justin to choose a soul-influenced direction in a world dominated by EDM and vapid pop, it doesn’t make “The 20/20 Experience” a knock-out hit.
However, that doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s bad, either. Actually, there are no ‘bad’ cuts on the album, but there are no ‘great’ cuts either, it’s all stuck in one immobile position. This consistency already brings the album above its peers, because it actually plays like a record, not a collection of singles. But its greatest strength is also its greatest flaw: it’s too consistent. Long-time fans will be disappointed to know that although “Suit and Tie” promised a retro-R&B record, it’s not that daring. Justin working with Timbaland makes that perfectly clear that he’s still playing it by the books, and he settles into safe territory after “Suit and Tie” finally concludes. “The 20/20 Experience” is very aptly titled, because it’s exactly as it says: it’s so clean and transparent that there’s nothing really left to explore, there’s nothing to bring the listener back for another listen. Also, it feels like an experience, an event, not an album. These are songs that work best as background music at a business party, not the club-scene that its predecessors were centered in. Still, that doesn’t mean it’s inaccessible. “Tunnel Vision” is a tight, hip-hop groove, while “Let the Groove In” is a festive neo-Swing that hints at what could have been. The ballads, particularly “Mirrors” don’t even come across as staid, because they’re already around other slow-burning songs. All aforementioned songs are easily the best moments on this album not just because of their hooks, but it’s because they have hooks, period. They possess energy and style that can draw a listener into its orbit, and could possibly keep them there for the entire song. These moments are far and in between in this over-long workshop, but they do prevent the album from being a complete disappointment. Ultimately, though, all of those flaws are not what make “The 20/20 Experience” not worth the hype. The biggest problem about the album is that it’s focused on its concept only, not its execution. Also, it plays like the work of a triple-threat, a business man, an entrepreneur, and a superstar, but not once does it play like the work of a recording artist.
Recommended Tracks in Bold:
1. Pusher Lover Girl 2. Suit and Tie 3. Don’t Hold the Wall
4. Strawberry Bubblegum 5. Tunnel Vision 6. Spaceship Coupe
7. That Girl 8. Let the Groove In 9. Mirrors
10. Blue Ocean
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