20/20 Experience.

Let us just take a moment to salute Justin Timberlake for being the most consistently successful member of the MMC (next to Ryan Gosling). Let us also recognize the craziness that is this man's talent. It's unfortunate that he doesn't get the R&B recognition he desires. But that's life. *Kanye Shrug* 

We didn't know what to expect post boy-band days from Justin. N'Sync undoubtedly had some culturally conflicted and confusing moments, for example, Justin with the cornrows, juxtaposed with heavy rotation on TRL. They had high urban/colored-people music sensibilities, more than the other boy bands, but they were still doing these heavy pop songs.Though when you take a look back at the MMC, many of the performances from the young cast had those mixed influences. It was the 90's, so urban america was being re-introduced to the other sectors of the country, and I guess people liked the extra flavor. 
Upon leaving the show, many of the cast members who became singers, went in a totally different direction. Gosling's singing style is unrecognizable from the pint-sized version of himself that tore up that Jodeci Cover. Spears, went all the way pop. Aguilera went, where she went, I guess we call that ''Dirty Pop'' (we can't stop). 

When we got JT's first solo project, it was steeped in the trends of music of the day (same urban fondue) not a lot of soul, but cute dance-ability, head-turning to a point, and solid. "Cry Me A River" was my personal ish. Rock Your Body, Senorita, were just a few of the standouts from that project. Justin's efforts were definitely faring better than JC Chasez,his former boy bandmate. He had a similar sound but people just weren't feeling it. Also, it should be noted that JC Chasez, thought not my cup of tea, is a highly underrated talent. But most of that is due to style choices. 

JT's next project came to us 4 years and few relationships later. FuturSex/LoveSounds should be considered a classic among classics. He and Timberland put in much work with this album. I remember pretty much everyone liking it, it was different, bold, entertaining, my Grandma was blasting it in the car. It was undeniable. He came into his own here. It didn't try too hard, it wasn't sloppy, it was just right. So afterwards when he was talking about retiring from music to focus on acting and William Rast or whatever, we were not having it. 7 years after a little FutureSex, we get the first installment of The 20/20 Experience, the second part to be released later this year.* 

It starts strong with PushaLoveGirl. JT always sounds so, interested. I appreciate that. He's not whining, begging, posturing, or holding his girl at arms length. He's enthusiastic  devoted, enamored without being a spaz. I listen to music with my body first, then with my critical hat on, I like when I can get lost in it, from the jump. That's my criteria for potential greatness. With this album, I'm welcomed into his falsetto laced land. 

And the water's fine. 

He goes on to the single ''Suit & Tie" which I was incredibly pleased with. The song is infectious, he's got his white dude slang in there (we don't use fatty anymore, but it's JT so it's cool). He's got Jay-Z, they are doing that grown up "game" spitting. All good. Next he's telling us to get up, dance, don't hold the wall. Put that arch in your back that he likes and let's get it (on the dance floor . Still all good. Then he goes back to that space LoveStoned put us in. This is the space where he excel's, this is the space where he set himself apart from most artists of any color in his time. He combines one idea and tells the story in a fluid, shifting way. Like a scarf blowing in the wind, but changing with the light. His, ''Strawberry Bubblegum'' is the crowning glory of the project. It's not the best song on the album, but it is the song that propels the listener to the next space. It's were we start getting to the heart of the sound. It's cheeky. It's fun, but purposeful. That's the thing with this album, it's fun but it knows it's self. It's a little calmer than it's predecessor, but he was in a different place personally, and thought this album may or may not have autobiographical elements, his personal space affects his overall tone. 

From that jumping off point we travel through his world. Through ''Tunnel Vision,'' ''That Girl,'' ''Let the Groove Get In,'' and on we are dancing, dreaming, thinking, and living. Don't listen for songs, in a rush, listen with a little time on your hands. You'll want the entire experience.

Fav. Songs: Almost the entire album, but particularly, Spaceship Coupe, Don't Hold The Wall, Blue Ocean Floor
Best 'would you like dance' song: Let The Groove Get In
Best Overall Experience Song: Strawberry Bubblegum

*Addendum: Part one was this uber like-able journey or music and sound that I was happy to ride with. PART 2 HOWEVER, is a mess. I literally had to stop in the middle and go listen to Ne-Yo's pre-fall-off album ''All Because of You',' because most of the things that were attempting to go on on 20/20 Part 2, were already done better on Ne-Yo's second album. To be fair, I haven't finished it yet, I'm hoping there are some gems in the remaining tracks, because it would be a waste to have Part 2 suck for me as much as it does. I don't like to skip songs when giving a project a listen, but some of these tracks were completely unbearable. Marketable, danceable, but equally unbearable. I just wanted them to stop. But, as I understand it, the songs from this installment, were actually done first. So, and yes I'm going to say it, with regard to Part 1, hindsight is 20/20. *shrug* And for good reason, because if I had heard Part 2 first, I wouldn't have stuck around for the second act.