Justified by Justin Timberlake (CD, Nov-2002, Jive (USA))

I'll say straight up that I'm not nor ever was an N'sync fan. The 80's are over and so is the mandate for me to listen to and love pop..I like a bit more substance to my music. But even still, some albums or songs are so catchy, with great beats that even as pop or r&b records they make you run out to the store and purchase them. I thought this was the case w/ Timberlake, as the first single from his Justified had me boppin' my head and tapping my toes. No doubt about it, Justin has soul and can sing, so I figured with this new album he would let the whole world know who he is. Houston, we have a problem.....

First off, before you notice anything else about Justin's album the first thing that strikes your mind isnt his vocals or style, but who the producers are. Within 6 seconds of each song it becomes apparent who was on the boards that day i.e. Neptunes, Timbaland, Mcknight etc. Now, maybe it was Justin's intention to have as many flavors as possible on the album to show his range, which isnt a bad thing neccesarily, but I feel that the production overshadows the man on the mic. Justin is never really able to make a song his 'own', and that is a key thing with great artists. Even if they dont write or produce a song, great artists have the ability to make it their own, to make it impossible for anyone else sing the song in with quite the same impact- this is not the case with Justin. He does an admirable job with each song, and as I said, the boy can sing...but b/c of his lack of ability to make each song his own, the album sounds a bit schizophrenic or rather like a long impersonation 'Justin performs Timbaland' 'Justin performs Neptunes' etc. Production should never overwhelm a song, but complement the artist's style seamlessly(see Aaliyah's Aaliyah album). Maybe next album, Justin will have more of an identity to bring to the mic.

And speaking of a lack of identity, that is my next gripe with the album...Justin trying way too hard to be Micheal Jackson. Now to you younger kids out there who cant recall the late 70's and mid to early 80's, this may seem like a new sound. But, all you have to do is listen to albums like Off The Wall and Thriller to realize that the King may be gone, but he is not forgotten, as Justin has gone deep into his memory banks to channel the spirit of Micheal on many songs( most noticeably on the song Rock Your Body..when I first heard it, it sounded to me like an amalgam of 'Billy Jean' and 'Rock with you'). If I were Micheal, I'd be flattered, but I'd also urge Justin to try and cultivate his own musical identity. This is understandable seeing as Justin was in a group for so long( like Mike) and I imagine the urge to just try and do everything on the first solo album was strong. But I do hope it doesnt take Justin 6 albums to find his own voice like another artist I know who was overwhelmed by his influences( re: lenny kravitz)

My last gripe is just pure logistics, indicative of the reason why I usually avoid pop albums and most r&b- trite lyrics and formulaic production. Granted, pop music is generally not known for lyrical depth, but it also generally doesnt have lyrics that are downright corny or make me wince either. Quite a number of the songs on justified had lyrics that were ham-fisted and flat-out hokey "I want to be your lake, your bay' ...huh? ...'got laid off at your job.." ...sorry Justin, but with the amount of money you have, dont expect me to believe you can identify with a lay-off..heh.

This is one of those cd's that I had to go out and buy the first day it came out. It's just wonderful. There is a good array of different styled songs on here, so everyone can find something they'd like.

My personal favorites are: Let's Take a Ride, Senorita, Like I Love You, and Rock Your Body.

I had no dislikes about this, it's a perfect 10/10 in my book!

Multiplatium recording artist Justin Timberlake shines in his solo debut CD, "Justified." Timberlake known for his adoring looks and unique singing voice with *NSYNC has ventured out on a new path.
With *NSYNC Timerlake stood out as a leader! This collection of R&B styled hits penned by Timberlake and his collaborators is proof that JT has staying power!
This two Grammy winner, 3 time MTV Music Award winner is a must have for your R&B collection.

Let's face it, you really, really don't want to like this guy...
Unfortunately for you and the rest of us, the hits are undeniable on this 2002 classic.

Senorita? hot.
Like I Love You? classic.
Cry Me a River? vindictive.
Rock Your Body? genius.

Alright, get over yourself and just buy the album.

Justin Timberlake proved that he was a talented solo artist and that he could make it without N'SYNC. Overall this was a complete cd with production from big time producers. I bought this cd being a big fan of the Neptunes.