13. Justin Timberlake: Justified (2002)

Justified, on the other hand, has been winning over new fans for a year now. Taking a step away from his successful 5-member boy band, JT hired Timbaland and The Neptunes to help him become the new Michael Jackson. And damn if it doesn't almost work! Songs like Last Night and Rock Your Body effectively capture that King Of Pop spirit and Like Nothing Else even sounds like a MJ ballad.

Before I go on, I must admit that the version I have of Justified is different. I ripped the songs before giving the CD away, and arranged and edited them when I burned it. Here's my tracklisting:
1. Seniorita
2. Like I Love You
3. Let's Take A Ride
4. Cry Me A River
5. Still On My Brain
6. Last Night
7. Like Nothing Else
8. (Oh No) What You Got
9. Never Again
10. Rock Your Body
11. Take It From Here

Anyway, on the getting personal tip, there are a few songs here that seem aimed at Britney...Never Again and Still On My Brain are both addressed toward a lover who has betrayed our poor hero. But the showstopper is Cry Me A River, an amazing song which gets better with every listen. Supposedly, it encapsulates what happened between Justin and Britney...she cheated and he couldn't forgive her. Listening to it with that in mind makes it even more enjoyable!

So the question remains, which is preferable: the pop artist who keeps it superficial, or the one who bares her soul? Is pop music more about impulse or thought? If it's the former, than Britney is the ultimate pop star, but if it's the latter, Justin shines brighter.

Justified Rating : B+
Justified Fave Song: Take It From Here

Comments

12 by Weezer

Here's the drill: 12 songs to summarize an artist's career, in chronological order (of course). This one features... I decided to take an unconventional route for this 12 by, and pretend Weezer have already released a "greatest hits." Here's what I think that would look like: 1) "Buddy Holly", 2) "Undone - the Sweater Song", 3) "My Name Is Jonas", 4) "The Good Life", 5) "El Scorcho", 6) "Hash Pipe", 7) "Island in the Sun", 8) "Dope Nose", 9) "Keep Fishin'", 10) "Beverly Hills", 11) "We Are All On Drugs", 12) "Pork and Beans". Here's a different take: 1. " Say It Ain't So" (from Weezer , 1994) A little bit heavy, a little bit catchy, quiet-loud dynamics. So basically, it's Pixies lite. The song is interesting lyrically because it's basically nonsense until the "Dear daddy..." bridge, which lets out a t

12 by John Mayer

Here's the drill: 12 songs to summarize an artist's career, in chronological order (of course). This one features... With all of his failed celebrity romances and foot-in-his-mouth interviews, John Mayer the person isn't always easy to love. But John Mayer the musician is a different story . His virtuosity never supersedes his pop songcraft, and his lyrics are searching, wise, vulnerable, and relatable. In my mind, he's the closest thing we'll get to a Gen X James Taylor. This list covers the first 8 years of his career. K eep an eye out for 12 More by John Mayer, coming soon! If you have Amazon Music Unlimited, you can listen along here . 1. "No Such Thing" (from Room for Squares , 2001) I'm on record with the opinion that Weezer are the ultimate Gen X musicians, but John Mayer is a very close second. This song captures that feeling of disillusionment and freedom that comes with going out into the "real world" and discovering it's not a

12 by Vicious Vicious

Here's the drill: 12 songs to summarize an artist's career, in chronological order (of course). This one features... If you need a reference point for the work of Vicious Vicious mastermind Erik Appelwick, the most appropriate would be Beck. Like Mr. Hansen, Minnesota-based Appelwick has the ability to navigate between making you laugh and making you cry and making you want to dance, and embraces genres from country to R& B to folk to pop. I've included songs from the two albums Appelwick did under the name Tropical Depression, because honestly there's not a lot of difference between that and Vicious Vicious. I very literally wrote the book on Appelwick, so please feel confident you are hearing from an authority here. If you have Amazon Music Unlimited, you can listen to an alternate version of list here (sadly, not all of VV's music is on the service). 1. "Shake That Ass on the Dance Floor" (from Blood + Clover , 2003) A loungy, laconic come-on

3 Minutes, 49 Seconds

Search This Blog