So, the OG Fav Justin Timberlake is back with a new album, Everything I Thought I Was, and I had to talk about it. No matter what the discourse is around Justin Timberlake, nostalgia will always bring me back. He is one of the few artists that I have been following for this amount of time (20+ years). And there’s the fact that NSYNC is back, even if it’s not permanent, I’ll take it.
For this one, I need to split this review in half because this is a REAL album, with 18 songs. I wanted to make sure I listened to it on repeat for a while, to see how I truly felt about each song. Even though I am looking at him differently these days, I still appreciate his artistry, how intentional he is about his music, and how it’s composed. Plus, I really love how we got some familiar sounds (heavy Future Sex/ Love Sounds and 20/20 Experience), as well as songs that are longer than 3 minutes lol.
My Review! Everything I Thought I Was
To kick off the first half of this album, we have “Memphis” which is one of many relatable songs for me. Of course, I’m not a celebrity and my story are a bit different, but that family/ smaller/ country town pressure is REAL. I was not expecting that “rap” part from him, and he reminds me of a younger R&B artist that I like, but it does fit the overall feel of this song. The follow up is “F****n Up the Disco”; the bridge and chorus are my favorite parts of this song.
“No Angels”, “Play”, and “Infinity Sex” are Funk tracks, and even though they aren’t my favorites on this one, I will definitely dance in my seat to these instantly. The track list slows down a bit here, with “Technicolor”, and it is one of my favorite slow jams on this album. The melodies are immaculate on this one. Things pick back up with “Drown”, with more of a Pop sound, and some familiar melodies to me. The extended instrumental at the end, is something that he does, that I have always loved.
“Liar”, featuring Fireboy DML, gives us that Afro beat sound that has really picked up steam in the world of music lately. So, we get a Pop/ Dance/ R&B sound on this one. As we get closer to the second half of this album, it slows down again, with “Love War” and we get another love song, a bit softer with this one.
Now Onto the Second Half…
There is something about the 2nd half of this album that I just love so much more. Coming in hot, in my opinion, with “Sanctified” that features Tobe Nwigwe. This one is one of a few songs that gives me 20/20 Experience Justin vibes. “My Favorite Drug” is one that I didn’t think I would like as much as I do, but that old school disco/ funk vibe got me after a few listens.
“Flame” is another one that sounds like the 20/20 Experience. This next one is a sexier R&B track, “What Lovers Do”. And of course, one of my favorites is “Selfish”, the first single he dropped, that got me from the very first note. I am just so in love with the lyrics and can heavily relate to this one.
“Alone” is just a bit heartbreaking, and with the soft piano and violin; this one is heavy. Yes, we did get an NSYNC song, called “Paradise”, and yes, I did cry when I first heard it. It’s hearing their voices together again, and the lyrics still get me every single time this one comes on. “Conditions” is the last song on this amazing album, and again, the lyrics, and overall feelings in this one, is just, beautiful.
Final Thoughts!
I guess you can say that I had a lot of mixed emotions when it came to experiencing this new Justin album. For those who have been under a rock or are just normal and don’t stay on social media like most of us lol, Justin has been caught up in some drama and scandals that would normally cancel other celebrities. He’s been wrapped up in cheating scandals with his wife, the Janet Jackson/ Halftime performance, and all the recent Britney Spears mess.
Justin is one of those artists, though, that I feel that I can separate all of that from the music. THIS is just about the music for me. I have been a fan of this man since I was 12 years old. He and NSYNC, had such an impact on my life growing up, as well as how I listen to music to this day. And they were also something that I shared with mother, so there’s a lot of sentimental things there for me.
*With that said, though, I am not here to defend his attitude or behavior in any of those situations*
There is a pretty massive tour for this release, but I probably won’t make it to any of them. The ticket prices are a bit much for me, looking at them right now. I prefer attending more small concerts and events, as compared to spending that on 1 ticket, where I probably won’t even be able to see the stage. Too many years spending money on tickets, I know what I would rather enjoy *shrugs*
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