Justin Timberlake, Album of the year - Music

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sethmadsen wrote:

More than ever before I am hearing a Michael Jackson influence on this record.

Apparently Michael Jackson was offered large parts of what went on to become Justified for his Invincible album, but he declined. Would've been interesting. Justified was great and Invincible was crap, so I'd say he made the wrong choice.

Mercury

Turn your back on the pay-you-back last call

Gender: Male

Location: St. Louis

I'm listening again and I must say this totally my album of the year so far. There are some potentially great records coming out. But I feel this new JT is super detailed and the songs are just say badass! Mirrors, and Tunnel Vision, are brilliant! And the closing track is a perfect slow burning closer and it's so different.
But the song I'm obsessing over is "Don't Hold The Wall". anyone who still feels JT is just another pop star who doesn't take musical risk or do new things, needs to listen this song. It's a detailed masterpeice of texture and strange dhsrelated parts that are all brought together perfectly over this eerie dance track! And the weird voice clips remind me of the books or avalanches samples. It's a mind blower! But listen closely! I don't wanna hear this is just lounge music. That's stupid and isn't true!
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-Ryan

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My Fave Metal - you won't believe #5!!!

Guest

Mercurydylan89 wrote:

But listen closely! I don't wanna hear this is just lounge music. That's stupid and isn't true!

I have listened closely on many occasions now, and this is still just lounge music. I've tried, especially given my best friend whose taste I trust loves it, and my girlfriend has also been playing it non-stop, but it's just bland lounge music. Lounge music is what it is.

Mercury

Turn your back on the pay-you-back last call

Gender: Male

Location: St. Louis

lethalnezzle wrote:

I have listened closely on many occasions now, and this is still just lounge music. I've tried, especially given my best friend whose taste I trust loves it, and my girlfriend has also been playing it non-stop, but it's just bland lounge music. Lounge music is what it is.

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Ha! Okay, now your just being mean Mr. Nezzle. Well, I can't see how it's lounge music. I am listening now and from what I hear every track is killer except Suit and Tie. I'm not a big fan of that.
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-Ryan

ONLY 4% of people can understand this chart! Come try!

My Fave Metal - you won't believe #5!!!

Guest

Mercurydylan89 wrote:

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Ha! Okay, now your just being mean Mr. Nezzle. Well, I can't see how it's lounge music. I am listening now and from what I hear every track is killer except Suit and Tie. I'm not a big fan of that.

Haha, I'm not being mean. It just sounds like lounge music to my ears. It's at the good end of the lounge music scale, but it still falls onto that scale nonetheless. TBH, I quite like some lounge music, especially chilled-out electronica, some crooners and the likes of Esquivel. But to say that it's "untrue" that this album is lounge music is a fallacy. According to Wikipedia, lounge music is music with a focus on "retro-space-age cultural elements" (see 'Strawberry Bubblegum', or 'Suit & Tie', or, most notably, 'Spaceship Coupe'), and music that can be played in "hotels (the lounge, the bar), casinos". The 20/20 Experience conforms to both of those things. I think this album is bland and trite, you think it's lush and full of texture, and both of us would be correct given that music is subjective and is thus whatever a particular listener thinks it to be (unless they are talking of elements that can be measured objectively, or are just wrong), but to state definitively that it doesn't qualify as lounge music is ridiculous.

Mercury

Turn your back on the pay-you-back last call

Gender: Male

Location: St. Louis

Hmm... Ijust think lounge music as a musical style is stupid and undescriptive. I think that is as bad as someone lamely explaining music as elevator music. Or someone just stupidly calling some music Drug music, or just insert inane modifier to a musical style. Like those examples of music you like that are all "lounge music" are so different that classing them together is dumb. Like if I like invent a genre of "car music" or "agressive music" or something stupid. That doesn't communicate any real aspects of it.

For example there is so much difference between "Don't Hold The Wall" and "Get It In athe Groove" ( that is the wrong name I am sure, sorry) and "Mirrors" and "Strawberry Lollipop" that using one description of "Lounge Music" is silly. It's like someone listening to Kind of Blue and calling it all Elevator Music. It's silly and uncreative.
_________________
-Ryan

ONLY 4% of people can understand this chart! Come try!

My Fave Metal - you won't believe #5!!!

Guest

Mercurydylan89 wrote:

Hmm... Ijust think lounge music as a musical style is stupid and undescriptive. I think that is as bad as someone lamely explaining music as elevator music. Or someone just stupidly calling some music Drug music, or just insert inane modifier to a musical style. Like those examples of music you like that are all "lounge music" are so different that classing them together is dumb. Like if I like invent a genre of "car music" or "agressive music" or something stupid. That doesn't communicate any real aspects of it.

For example there is so much difference between "Don't Hold The Wall" and "Get It In athe Groove" ( that is the wrong name I am sure, sorry) and "Mirrors" and "Strawberry Lollipop" that using one description of "Lounge Music" is silly. It's like someone listening to Kind of Blue and calling it all Elevator Music. It's silly and uncreative.

I'm not saying the genre is "lounge music", or that "lounge music" is even a valid genre term. The term "lounge music" can apply to music in a variety of genres, so long as it's inoffensive and has a retro-futurist vibe. I tend to think of the first Portishead album as "lounge music", even though it is clearly trip-hop first and foremost. It is simply music that would feel natural being played in a hotel lounge, and I think The 20/20 Experience would feel exactly that. Similarly, "elevator music" is simply music that would feel natural being played in an elevator. And "lounge music" does communicate some very real aspects of it, namely the bloated swelling of retro-futurist inoffensia masquerading as invention, sophistication and artistry. And the idea that this album is hugely varied is ridiculous to me. I don't think it all sounds the same, but there's a formula that Timberlake and Timbaland have stuck to throughout with very little deviation. It's nowhere near as varied as either of his last two albums, though I'd argue that it is more cohesive; having said that, cohesion is a big price to pay if it means the listener is subjected to this anodyne exploration in banality.

When all is said and done, The 20/20 Experience is still lounge music. It's your fault if you feel lounge music is an offensive term (ah the irony, given how inoffensive the content of this album is). I, on the other hand, will openly admit to quite liking a lot of lounge music, and you'll find albums by the likes of Frank Sinatra and Sade on my chart. Granted, lounge music isn't a genre, and I'm not trying to argue that it is, but it is a term that I feel succinctly captures a certain vibe that some music has, and I would liken it as a term to "psychedelia" in that sense. The genre of this album would probably be something along the lines of pop-soul. It's also lounge music. The two can live side-by-side, as this album so thoroughly proves.

Mercury

Turn your back on the pay-you-back last call

Gender: Male

Location: St. Louis

Okay, okay, I'm done. I'm done. I love this record. Not formulaic as far as I can hear.

And now I will use all my childish sayings:

Whatever.
I know you are but what am I?
I'm rubber you're glue.
LALALALALALALA!!!! I CAN'T HEAR YOU!!! (Fingers in ears)

Jk.
_________________
-Ryan

ONLY 4% of people can understand this chart! Come try!

My Fave Metal - you won't believe #5!!!

Mercury

Turn your back on the pay-you-back last call

Gender: Male

Location: St. Louis

Okay, bump...

As of now it is still my aoty. Hands down.

Granted I've heard what 10-15 albums from this year. Not much compared to members like Nezzle who have heard probably 5-10X the music.

But from my vantage point, this is just a great happy pop album that I can't get over even after several months.

It's on my chart. Boom!
_________________
-Ryan

ONLY 4% of people can understand this chart! Come try!

My Fave Metal - you won't believe #5!!!

JJKelsall

I've not heard the album and I probably won't. Timberlake certainly isn't bad as mainstream musicians go and I have liked some of his songs in the past, but I don't think I'd spend money on an album. As for album of the year I can't say, but from what I've heard, the new Suede album, 'Bloodsports' is my album of the year so far, although I doubt it will be recognized in the awards.