Customer Reviews

Futuresex/Love Sounds- Best Buy Exclusive

5 star:		(176)
4 star:		(94)
3 star:		(42)
2 star:		(21)
1 star:		(42)

 

 

Of all the albums I thought I might review next; lord knows I never thought it would be the new release from ex-boy-band gloryboy Justin Timberlake. With "Justified," he forged a moderately (if conservatively so) different personality than the clean-cut good boy image he had cultivated with his work with `NSYNC. The songs were personal, if overwrought, and overproduced. The singles were monumental, but the album overall lacked a true personality.

On "Futuresex/LoveSounds", Timberlake leaves `NSYNC so far behind that its hard to view him as the same person. Much of this is most likely to Timbaland's credit, who produced almost every track on this fine record. This album had one of two directions to go from "Justified," either an attempt at the same thing, or a grandiose, hubristic, self-promoting, self-aggrandizing beast of a record. And to everyone's benefit (most prominently his own), Timberlake chose the latter.

The lyrics are an intriguing amalgamation, ranging from shameless hubris to pathetic desperation, and its in walking that line that Timberlake finds his real charm. He's likeable because he reacts to his situation like a real person. He knows the power he has (through his fame), but at the core he is still hopelessly insecure. On second single "My Love," his flights of masochism and confidence on other tracks dissolve into ruminations of marriage, as if his confident ruse is nothing more than a hopeless romantic simply looking for the one on which to spend it.

The backing beats, mainly by Timbaland, showcase the master back on top of his game. Ranging from pseudo-funk, to post Purple-Rain Prince, to Timba's very own take on pop; the tracks flow seamlessly, effortlessly, and hypnotically. Interestingly, it is not the beats that immediately grab the attention, but the judicious application of soaring synths and strings that propel the spaces in between and throughout Mr. Timberlake's staccato vocals. Even the string harmonies and fills (most notably on "Lovestoned/I Think That She Knows") have marvelous hooks, and leave the listener desperate for a fuller fleshing out of their themes.

I had no intention of really liking this album, but that proved all but impossible. Timberlake and Timbaland have created a pop/hip-hop/funk collage that is immediately accessible, likeable, and just plain fun.

Highly Recommended.

I've been putting off writing this review for about a week now. Reason being: with the exception of one song, this is such a great album my words won't do justice to it. Either way I will try to give my honest opinion on each song below:

1-"FutureSex/LoveSound" (5/5) Great song. Wonderful chorus. Love it's unusual beat and it's racy lyrics.

2-"SexyBack" (5/5) The reason I got the album in the first place is this song. With it's off the hook beat and Justin's unique vocal arrangement, this song became a hit in my book.

3-"Sexy Ladies" (5/5) Another awesome song. It's chorus is very catchy and Justin's voice in it is great.

4-"My Love" (5/5) I loooooove this song. The prelude to this song and the
actual intro. are insanely good. Justin's falsetto in the background is just bone chilling.I could listen to this song all day long. T.I.'s rap is very fitting and well written.

5-"LoveStoned" (5/5) A great song with a very cool chorus and terrific lyrics. My favorite part is the interlude at the end. Justin's voice is wonderful in it. Overall, a great song.

6-"What Goes Around Comes Around" (5/5) I love the message in this song. Many people can relate to this song which is what I love about it. Great lyrics + great vocals, inevitably = a GREAT song.

7-"Chop Me Up" (5/5) A personal fave, this song is just flawless. I love the way Justin sings in it. It just suits him right. Timbaland's verse is also fabulous. This song's chorus is what has me hooked. Three 6 Mafia's collaboration with Justin was a great idea. Nobody else could have done a better job.

8-"Damn Girl" (3/5) I was about to give the album a 4 instead of a perfect 5 stars because of this song. I simply don't get it. I hate it. I gave it a 3 because I have heard worse songs but really, it could have been kept out of this almost perfect album.

9-"Summer Love" (5/5) Awesome beat and vocal arrangement make this song a great potential single. It's lyrics are mature and catchy making it one of my faves.

10-"Until The End Of Time" (5/5) A very sweet love song. Its beautiful, touching lyrics will definitely touch the hearts of those who listen to it.

11-"Losing My Way" (5/5) This is just a great song about the typical drug addict that finds he/she is losing grasp of their life. Wonderfully written and sung in a deep, mellow way, this song leaves me speechless.

12-"(Another Song) All Over Again" (4/5) This has to be the song I have listened to less along with "Damn Girl". I feel it could have better lyrics that would make it more touching.

Honestly, this album has got to be the best one in my collection thus far. I am in looove with it and only hope Justin keeps it in mind for his next release. If he keeps his crazy, electrifying beats and his mature lyrics, I will be buying his albums forevermore. Justin should also continue collaborating with Timbaland and Nate Hills when it comes to writing and his dope beats. Great job, Justin!

I can listen to this album in its entirety except for the song "Damn Girl" therefore I will not write my Faves because I'd have to list 11 out of the 12 songs.

There are a bunch of people who are still bitter over the way Justin Timberlake handled himself with the whole Janet Jackson/Superbowl fallout. But to discount him as a singer because of it would be unfair and unjust. So going forward, this review is in no way a reflection of that incident or his involvement in the boy band N Sync. I think everybody should be considerate of artists who break the mold of what is 'expected' of them. With that said, Future Sex/Love Sounds is one of the best 'pop' albums to date. I classify it as pop because most of the songs on this project border more on dance and electronic than the R&B genre. Nevertheless, that still doesn't mean that Future Sex/Love Sounds is not enjoyable. It's arguably one of the best albums of the year.

The groove that he has throughout the album is unmistakable and quite obvious. A lot of people would then turn around and say that every song 'sounds' the same on the album. Not so. The title track starts off the album with a futuristic sound more common in electronic music, but still has a underlying beat to keep it funky. "SexyBack" is the monster single that is commanding all radio formats and being overplayed like any other number one track in recent memory. "Sexy Ladies" is a throwback to the early 80s sound with groups like The Time or Prince's funkier music. "My Love" featuring the rising rap superstar T.I. is my pick for a second single because of purely addictive music composition. "LoveStoned" is barely passable because of the beat, but the singing could've been a tad better. "What Goes Around" is a mellow, mid-tempo that suffers the same fate with a stellar background but the lyrics and delivery aren't there.

Justin dives face first into the urban stratosphere with Timbaland and Three Six Mafia for "Chop Me Up." This is followed by the drum heavy groove "Damn Girl" featuring Will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas. "Summer Love" is a thumper for your ride just like the songs suggests in the opening lyrics. "Until The End Of Time" will remind you of Prince from its synthesized breaks, but the mellow riff and the inclusion of an orchestra makes it a Justin Timberlake original. "Losing My Way" is a tale about letting drugs take over your life, while "All Over Again" is a smooth, piano-laced cut where Justin taps into his soul and pours his heart out for another chance with a girl (Cameron Diaz, maybe?) The album then closes with a pointless bonus cut featuring Snoop Dogg called "Pose" that could have easily been left off the cd.

Having sold platinum in under a month, Future Sex/Love Sounds is proof that Justin Timberlake has the staying power to have a prosperous solo career. He will probably continue to be shuffled between R&B and Pop, but one thing that is for sure is that he knows how to make hits. And with the dynamic duo of Timberland and Timberlake, the future looks promising to say the least.

I had no intention of buying this cd then I heard sexy back and thought I like that but not enough to buy it. Then I heard my love with TI and decided to buy it. I am so glad that I did I have not been able to stop listening to this cd. I really like this cd I do not like all the songs but unlike some cd's I like more than two songs on the whole disc. There are a lot of songs that I love on this disc but my favorite is until the end of time. I am a huge Prince fan until the end of time sounds like it's missing from the purple rain soundtrack. I think Prince would be proud and just a little jealous of that track.
I have to give Timberland his props he brought the best out of Mr. Timberlake.

I'll be the first to admit that I wasn't impressed with Justified. While it had its moments, I didn't think he deserved too much credit for recording Off the Wall 2003. Justin hadn't developed an original sound, so he bit off other artists instead, and relied on the Neptunes to deliver banging beats for him.

NO MORE. With Future Sex/Love Sounds, Justin finally lives up to his potential. Although he still allows other artists to influence his music (he favors Prince this time instead of Michael), Justin really has created a niche for himself. Also, Justin addes interludes and preludes at the beginning and ends of some songs. They're a nice transition and they add a unique twist to the album

Although I wasn't sold on the idea of the Neptunes not being on this album at first, after a few listens, I realized that he didn't really need them. After all, the Neptunes production is rather unoriginal in the sense that, you always know when you're listening to a Neptunes song, and the aritst doesn't really get a chance to shine. There are Timbaland tracks on the album, but again, I feel like Timbaland is a more versatile producer, so you don't always get that same repetive feel that you get with the Neptunes.

The album starts out with the title track. I'll admit - this is my favorite song on the CD. The mid-tempo beat, the Prince vibe, the song is really sexy in a kind of fun way. After that is the first single "Sexyback". I don't really need to talk about it - everyone's heard it. However, if you're skeptical about buying the CD, that song isn't really indicative of what's on the rest of the album. Nevertheless, it's a pretty solid song.

The next 3 tracks on the CD are some of the stronger numbers. "Sexy Ladies....", "My Love", and "Love Stoned" are 3 completely different songs with completely different sounds - yet all three work. "Sexy Ladies" has that 70s funk vibe, "My Love" (the 2nd single) has a techno, futuristic feel to it, and "Love Stoned" has a simple beat with great use of an orchestra and harmonies.

Justin slows it down on the next song. "What Goes Around..." [which sounds like it's directed towards britney] it a great mid-tempo ballad, it reminds me of some of the ballads on Justified.

Justin then makes his only misstep on the CD with the song "Chop Me Up" with 3-6 Mafia. I'm not impressed with the lyrics or the beat of the song. I think the CD would have been better without it. "Damn Girl" [w/ Will.I.Am] has another funk Prince vibe and I love the live band sound. Again, it's not one of my favorites, but it's a pretty good track. "Summer Love..." is another one of my favorites. It has a simple fun vibe, and i really like the attached song "Set the Mood". It's a really short yet really pretty ballad.

The next 3 songs are all solid slow jams. Out of the three, my favorite is "Until the End of Time". Justin ends it with a collaboration with Snoop Dogg on "Pose". Again, I think this track has a bit of a Prince feel, but still is unmistakably Justin. It's an upbeat number about pretty girls posing for the camera. It's another fun summer song.

If you got the album pre-ordered, you get a bonus song "Boutique in Heaven". This is actually another one of my favorite songs. Although the lyrics aren't the best, the song is really catchy, and Justin's voice takes on a slightly different sound.

All in all, it's a great buy.

TOP 5:

5. Until the End of Time
4. Summer Love / Set The Mood
3. My Love
2. Love Stoned / I Think She Knows
1. Future Sex/Love Sounds

I'll admit I am not a fan of NSYNC. I felt they took popular music to the bubblegum factory, but I suppose for teenage girls they were the right safe formula.

I wasn't interested in Justin Timberlake's 2002 "Justified". However, I thought "Rock Your Body" was a great Michael Jackson knockoff. Enter Timberlake's sophomore album "Futuresex/Lovesounds". It picks up where "Rock Your Body" left off. When Timberlake is good, he's very good, and when he's out of ideas, the entire disc nearly derails itself.

The best tracks are the first single "Sexyback" with it's Michael Jackson and Prince imitations, the second single "My Love", the third single "What Goes Around..." which might be the best track here, "Futuresex/Lovesounds" and "Lovestoned". On these five tracks Timberlake and Timberland are virtually irresistable and unstoppable. However, this doesn't hold up across all 12 tracks.

In fact, the second half of the disc is bogged down in weak hip hop/raps and drippy balladry. I particularly hated the Rick Rubin produced "(Another Song) All Over Again". "Chop Me Up" was boring. "Damn Girl" has a catchy r&b retro 70's feel, but it's nothing special. "Summer Love" is all right as is "Losing My Way". I didn't like "Until The End Of Time" either, and "Sexy Ladies" is definitely a Prince rip-off. In fact, "Until The End Of Time" utilizes the old drum machine effects from Prince's "1999" album. Some of the interludes were interesting like "Let Me Talk To You", "I Think She Knows" and "...Comes Around", while "Set The Mood" was sickly sweet.

One thing that makes a great singer (because as far as I can tell Timberlake doesn't play an instrument) is his ability to adapt to a wide genre of styles. Timberlake has done two albums that are heavily r&b/hip hop influenced. Until he stretches himself artistically by dumping Timberland and Rick Rubin and going with different producers on each album, I consider him a budding artist who hasn't yet reached his full potential. Michael Jackson was very good at many different styles and that's what made him a legend. Same for Rod Stewart, and Timberlake will never come close to touching Prince unless he learns to write, play, compose, arrange and produce everything he does.

So, the bottom line with "Futuresex/Lovesounds" is that there are five great songs and seven mediocre songs, thus the three star rating.

Maybe next time Timberlake with take even greater artistic risks which might lead to greater rewards and an even larger audience.

Some may want to hate on Justin, call him pop trash and deny him the props he deserves, but rest assured that any who pull that are doing so out of pure unbridled jealousy. When one sits back to relish in the musical experience known as `FutureSex/LoveSounds' they are in for a number of surprises, all of which are set to blow the listeners mind.

The first surprise is that this artist is none other than Justin Timberlake, the same blonde haired kid who sang high pitched lead for the boy-band N'Sync a few years back. There is no trace of that teenager anywhere to be found on the thirteen-track disc. In fact, he's so grown up it's hard to really classify this as pop. I guess that's why they coined the phrase `dirty-pop', a style of which Timberlake is the current King (sorry Ne-Yo, you aint got nothin' on Timberlake). The second surprise is that this is not the R&B album you may have expected judging from the success of his debut solo album `Justified'. In fact, Justin has enlisted the help of Producer Timbaland to create an album that surpasses genre classification altogether. There are some R&B laced tracks, some hip-hop influenced numbers, some techno club cuts, some pop vibes and even a jazzed up ballad and every track sounds just as polished and effortless as the previous.

Timberlake starts things off with the title track `FutureSexLoveSound' and he sure sets things off right. The technoesque beats laden with Timberlake's seductive vocals are brilliantly controlled and used to perfection. It's apparent from the very beginning that this is a very different and unexpected experience, but one intriguing enough to demand our attention. Timbaland is in true form here, as he is in the first single `SexyBack' which is in my opinion the song of the year. Who knew that Timberlake had it in him? With an infectious beat, one of the greatest in recent years, some simple yet effectively perverse lyrics and a few well timed F-bombs Timberlake transcended from teenage girl fantasy to well established artist. `SexyBack' will always be remembered as Justin's redefining moment, and we all love his new definition.

Justin finds familiar territory on a few tracks, one in particular being his second single `My Love' which also features rap artist T.I. The beat is brilliantly composed. Timbaland is truly just as responsible as Timberlake for this masterful album. Timberlake hits his famous falsettos here and they are even better than remembered. `What Goes Around' also hits all the right moves with the Oriental guitars to accompany an effortlessly catchy chorus, not to mention one of the best overall music videos I've ever seen...it's a shame that's not included on the CD. `Summer Love' also gives Justin fans something to smile at, this time giving Timberlake the opportunity to spitfire his lyrics to a brutal beat.

And speaking of brutal beats, the hip-hop influenced `Chop Me Up' is brilliantly constructed. Justin slips right into character and is as convincing as can be, his words sliding over the crunchy beat. Three Six Mafia contribute decently, although they are upstaged by the brilliant change in musical arrangement which adds a nice spin to the track. `Sexy Ladies' has a very 80's feel to it, with deep bass lines and high strings giving it a very `funky' feel. `Damn Girl' also carries with it traces of funk with Will.i.am offering his help, but he fails to stack up to Timberlake, which I didn't expect. `Pose' closes the album as a bonus track, and I can understand why it wasn't selected as part of the official album itself. It's carefree and probably the most `Pop' sounding track here but I think because of that fact it comes off a bit immature and doesn't quite mesh with the balance of the album. The inclusion of Snoop was a nice touch, but can't in itself save the track entirely.

`LoveStoned' may very well be the best track here. The beat is catchy as all get out and the lyrics are classic Justin. It's one of these songs that never grows tired and has this infectious way of inducing movement in the listener. `Losing my Way' is Justin's attempt at inspiration, singing about life changing experiences, battling substance abuse and making something of yourself instead of giving into vices. It's decent, but nothing near what he was attempting to accomplish. His two ballads are both great in their own respect, `Until the End of Time' sounding like it was taking straight from a 90's R&B album, but it's `All Over Again' that really delivers the goods, giving us an almost John Mayer feeling, soft and subtle and jazzy in it's own respect with some of Justin's best vocal's to date, beautiful and elegant and memorable to a T.

So, in closing, `FutureSex/LoveSounds' is a fantastic album, that while not perfect is actually very close to it and adds layers to the sensation that is Justin Timberlake, paving the way for him to enter the living room of just about every home, finally transcending the ties of the `Popstar' curse and becoming a musical icon.

2006 has had no shortage of surprises: North Korea tested a nuke, Vice President Dick Cheney shot a lawyer, and the Democrats took control of Capital Hill for the first time since 1994. Justin Timberlake's FUTURESEX/LOVESOUNDS, the long-awaited follow-up to his 2003 solo debut JUSTIFIED, is yet another surprise. It's an album masked in a heavy sheet of glittering pop; beneath that mask is one of the best albums of the year and what may wind up as one of the defining records of the new millennium's first decade. The odds of people discovering this are rather slim: after all, how many people do you think will listen to an album by a former member of N'Sync (or at least listen to it and admit to doing so)? Not a whole lot, and that's a pity, because on FUTURESEX/LOVESOUNDS, Justin Timberlake sets out to prove that he's much more than the lead singer of an old boy band. And prove it he does.

One of the biggest surprises of FUTURESEX/LOVESOUNDS is that it is, quite frankly, the most unsexy "sex album" ever released. Through the whole album, Timberlake tries to maximize its sex appeal, and though he fails in that aspect, he succeeds in another: he creates a cold, false, emotionless atmosphere that perfectly captures the attitude of our society in the 21st century. On FUTURESEX, sex is simply a tool for brief gratification, to be used with anyone and anyone at any time. It doesn't really mean anything, like having a one-night stand at some unruly late-night party. The music itself is equally harsh and sounds almost as though it was assembled from the lonely, emotion-devoid thoughts of a computer, thanks largely to the fact that it's completely electronic. In another surprise, FUTURESEX/LOVESOUNDS sounds more like the product of such 1980s R&B funk gods as Prince and Michael Jackson than the creation of an ex-N'Syncer. All the familiar elements are here: exotic percussion, playful keyboards, inviting bass, and excited vocals. "LoveStoned" sounds as though it was yanked off THRILLER, and a more hearty "SexyBack" could've been a Prince creation back in the day.

The thing that restrains Timberlake from ranking among the likes of the aforementioned superstars isn't so much a lack of talent as a lack of willingness to experiment. True, FUTURESEX/LOVESOUNDS sounds considerably different than much of recently-released music, but only different enough to make it distinguishable from your everyday contemporary album. Timberlake is willing to step up to the line to prove that he's not what everyone thinks he is, but he seems afraid to step over the line, to really produce something new and delightfully original like his heroes. Timberlake sticks mostly to the thick, heavily-overused hip-hop beats, deviating from the norm just enough to make an impression. He does succeed in that aspect, as the album does make an impression, but not enough of an impression to really knock the listener out. Though it gets off to a great start, the album lags a little toward the end, leaving the listener with an appreciation for what Timberlake has done, but also with the desire for him to do more. Maybe that's what he wants; people will certainly pay more attention to his next release.

FUTURESEX/LOVESOUNDS isn't a masterpiece, but it stands out from the increasing number of lifeless, unoriginal albums, and for that reason alone it may be worth checking out. It works excellently as a time capsule, a collection of music that may be looked upon years from now as a fitting representation of the music of 2006. Still, it's nowhere near experimental enough, and it's Timberlake's fear of experimentation that ultimately stabs the album.

Now I am not a big fan of pop music. I actually hate 99.9999% of pop music, and modern rap. This album is just off the charts amazing for a pop album. Every song is well written, and produced.

I do not like the single Sexyback. That is the worst song on the album in my opinion. This is a very, very solid album. This is comming from somone who listens to The Sex Pistols, Pennywise, and The Ramones daily. So thats saying a lot.

Justified was a pretty good debut cd.. but his latest cd is amazing.. hes growing as a artist and you can tell. My love, damn girl, until the end of time, another song, love stoned are all songs that stand out to me.. his next album will be a classic mark my words