The Experience: Part 2

How perfect is it that my first update day is exactly a week into January? I love it when things work out. This week, I bring you the JT post I’ve been promising for forever and a day, and it’s probably gonna be sub par but whatever.

Album: The 20/20 Experience (Part 2)                                    Artist: Justin Timberlake

So let’s start off with a recap. The 20/20 Experience (Part 1) was JT’s third album, and it came a long while after his second. It received generally favorable reviews (and rightly so) and it had some wonderful songs on it (i.e. “Suit and Tie”). Well, apparently Part 1 wasn’t enough, because only months later, Part 2 was on the market.

Undoubtedly both parts are very similar; Timberlake manages to keep his experimental sound in Part 2, though if you listen back to back there are some pretty distinct differences in the albums ranging from overall beats to lyrics to emotions. According to critics, Part 2 wasn’t as good as it’s predecessor. Ryan Dombal of Pitchfork called it an “unwarranted glut” and claims that it “points to a much more stunted spectrum of creativity” (Find his review here!).

Harsh.

Imagine how people who didn’t like Part 1 felt. Personally, and this could totally be my naturally pessimistic personality, I like Part 2. Admittedly, it’s probably a little more offensive than its senior, but it’s also a little more angry (which is what I like). Even though Dombal thinks that anger doesn’t really fit JT, I disagree. If you go back to some of his older work, you can hear that same aggression in “What Goes Around Comes Around,” except it’s a little more angsty there. Regardless, I don’t think that The 20/20 Experience (Part 2) is just an album you can write off.

Jon Dolan of Rolling Stone seems to agree. He gave the album 3 and 1/2 stars out of five, but he seems to appreciate the overall work more than Dombal (his review is here).

But what do I have to say about the album?

I think the album originally won me over with “Only When I Walk Away,” a track that Dolan obviously appreciated as well. It’s seven minutes of a rolling guitar riff reminiscent of the 70s (think Led Zepp) and some heavy (and somewhat angry) beats provided by Timbaland. Admittedly, the laser show that JT performs the song with helped the track’s cause. Or maybe it was “Drink You Away” that originally hooked me. This song is distinctly different not only from the rest of the album, but JT’s work in general. The track merges Timberlake’s hip/hop roots with some obvious country influences. It’s much better than country music in my opinion, but obviously Timberlake is very familiar with his Tennessee beginnings.

The album also features some guest spots from not only Jay-Z (who was on Part 1 as well), but also Drake. Neither feature disappoints, though I don’t claim to know anything about rap music so maybe it does. Who knows?

Ultimately, the winning track is hand’s down “Amnesia” (in my opinion, at least). The opening string arrangement sets a wonderful start and it’s continued throughout the song. It’s lofty enough to capture the whimsicality of the album and impressive enough to leave the listener wanting just a little more.

Now, the album admittedly has a few busts, if you will. “True Blood,” while certainly interesting, just isn’t my cup of tea. It’s kinda fun but sorta weird and I could do without the howling. But hey, to each their own I guess. And, with regards to the singles, my feelings remain the same as they did for Part 1. They just aren’t the best the album has to offer. But they’re catchy, which is probably why they were chosen for the radio (I had to jab at it just once).

If I had to pick? Unlike most critics I think I’d pick Part 2. While I enjoy Part 1 and think the album was overall more innovative, Part 2 is just more listenable. I’m surprised that Pages just told me the “listenable” was a word. But my point is, despite the fact that Part 2 also continues the seven minute song trend, I think it just flows a little better. It’s a little more exciting. Sue me.

How was that for a post? Not only did I actually write about an album, but it was much better than my Part 1 post (but that isn’t saying much). Find that here.

Thoughts? Leave them here, Facebook, or twitter! And as always, keep listening!

2014, It’s Been a Good Run

Well, here we are! It’s the end of 2014, and so starts another year. I’ll admit, I’m very proud of myself for making it this far with the blog. I honestly didn’t expect to find myself still blogging at this point. With that being said though, I would like to take a moment to talk about some changes for 2015!

This year, I’m going to be a full-time student, teaching swim lessons twice a week or maybe more, and training for a triathlon. My weeks might be getting pretty busy from this point forward and I MIGHT end up switching my update day — just a heads up so you can watch for that. I also have made some changes to my page. I’m really going to try to post a playlist on the sidebar at some point.

But I also want to talk about 2014 (I was going to update on Christmas Eve, but we had no internet *surprise surprise*, so I think a New Year’s post is appropriate).

In 2014, I went to a total of thirteen concerts. Not bad, if I do say so myself. That comes out to about one a month (which Alexandra and I were totally doing for almost six months). But which concert was the best? Here is my definitive ranking of the top 5:

5) Frank Turner

So, I sort of had a hard time with this one. I was going to say The 1975, because it was totally sick and Matty Healy is Matty Healy and I’m not afraid to fangirl about it, but then I remembered White Arrows/The NBHD. That was just an amazing show. The energy at that show was amazing and I discovered a really awesome band called White Arrows. But then I remembered Frank Turner. I was going to go with The NBHD anyway, but I ultimately decided on Frank Turner for one reason: he really cares.

At one point in the show there were a few kids who wouldn’t leave him alone or start heckling and he went off and had them thrown out. Ultimately, it kind of seems like a jackass move (sorry for the sketchy language, Mrs. Clupper), but after the show it almost seemed like he felt bad about it. But in the moment, he wanted to share his thoughts and his feelings that he pours into his music with the audience and these kids weren’t very respectful of that. Also, at the end, during “Four Simple Words,” he brought three kids from the audience on to the stage and gave them tambourines. So yeah, Turner wins.

 

4) Local Natives

 

 

 

 

 

I have no words. I wish I had words. But I don’t. I still can’t listen to Local Natives without being overcome with PCD. The emotion and excitement of the concert are still so alive, and I saw them in April. I mean, forget about that group of kids that stood in a circle at the front and talked the entire time. The rest of us were so involved in the music and the atmosphere and the lights and the emotion. It went from upbeat to slow and emotional to excited and everything in between. I highly recommend.

 

3) DMB (That’s Dave Matthews Band for anyone not in the loop)

This picture 100% belongs to the band’s instagram page…. I was WAY too far away.

DMB will always make the list. They can go out there and not sing a single word and still make the list. The music is what matters at a Dave show. You make so many friends, and Dave fans are pretty die-hard. Dave shows unite thousands of people, the music is always good, you can dance like no one is watching, and the energy of the band really translates to the crowd. There’s nothing like yelling “YEAH” at the top of your lungs during “#41” with hundreds of other people. So really. Even if it isn’t a good show, it’s a great show. Everyone who can go see DMB should go see DMB.

 

 

 

2) JT

 Honestly, I haven’t been to a show like JT’s before. Like, holy crap does this guy have talent. And the setup — I mean the stage FREAKING MOVED. I don’t even want to know how much that costs. Regardless, it’s really refreshing to see a pop artists with real instruments to accompany him. Plus, he brought out Garth Brooks at our show so we were basically winning as an audience. Would I go again? Probably. Could I afford it? Hell no.

 

 

 

 

 

1) Fleetwood Mac

I saved the best for last. I truly mean it was the best. You know how you see these bands that were super cool in the 70s and 80s, but now they’re just sad and they should probably stop (*cough*KISS*cough*)? Fleetwood Mac is not one of those bands. They haven’t lost anything. And let me tell you, Christine McVie KILLED it. Like, she sounds exactly like she did in the 70s. It’s amazing. And despite the fact that Lindsey Buckingham takes himself way too seriously, he’s super talented. They all are. I won’t even lie about it, I totally cried when they came out and started playing. I have never been so overwhelmed by greatness. I have never been in the same room with such greatness. It was the most amazing moment of my life. I’m seriously considering going by myself to the show in Knoxville, despite the fact that it will more than likely empty my checking account. It was that good.

 

 

So there you have it. These were my top five, and if you get the chance to see them, I highly recommend it. What were your top five concerts on 2014? Let me know in the comments here, on Facebook, or on Twitter! You can also follow me at @notreallyindie on Twitter for updates on the music scene!

As always, keep listening 🙂

Also, if the picture placement is odd, I apologize.

Exams Exams Exams

So, I didn’t update last week. And well, I’m not updating this week either. But I can explain myself! You see, I have a lot of things due December 2nd. And a lot of these things are things I haven’t even started yet, because c’mon. What’s college without a little bit (whole semester long) procrastination? I’m going to a concert on Friday, and I’ll be seeing The 1975. I’ve had a whole post about them pretty much written in my head all week, but being in my head is not the same as being on the internet, and quite frankly putting it on the internet takes far too much work. So: next week, December 3rd, I promise to write about the 1975. And after that, on December 10th, I will write about some more JT, and after that, on December 17th (the day I see Fleetwood Mac), I will write about Fleetwood Mac. So that’s what I have in store for you, and I’m sorry these next two weeks don’t work out. Until then, listen to the song “Last Day of Magic” by a band called The Kills. Until December 3rd, keep listening!

There. I made it easy for you. You’re welcome.

I Love Pop/Wait What?

Sometimes I think I should move my update day to Thursday. But because I’m me I know that won’t work because then I’ll just start updating on Friday. So alas, Wednesday it stays. And by Wednesday hopefully you all realize I actually mean Thursday.

Album: FutureSex/LoveSounds                                                   Artist: The one and only JT

I choose F/L for several reasons this week. 1) I’m seeing Justin Timberlake in December and I have to gear up, 2) I watched Friends With Benefits last weekend and so I was feeling some JT this week, and 3) I actually really love this album and I’m saving 20/20 part two for December.

So I’ve mentioned before how much I love JT and how willing I am to jump on the bandwagon. So let’s elaborate on that, because most of you know how I generally feel about pop music:

FutureSex/LoveSounds dropped in 2006, four years after JT’s solo debut Justified. Timbaland once again produced the album (with the exception of “(Another Song) All Over Again” which was produced by one of my favorite producers Rick Rubin) and this album seriously revolutionized pop in the mid 2000s. In fact, the album was created with that idea in mind. You see, JT decided to record another album once he realized the “sad state” of pop music. That information was taken from Wikipedia so I can’t certify it’s accuracy, but Wikipedia hasn’t failed me yet so I’m rolling with it. Anyway, this “let’s fix the genre” attitude is part of why I love JT. Justin Timberlake always releases something with the idea of art in mind — not just going with what sells. It’s about the music, not about the money. And if I’m wrong, please let me just believe I’m right because I want to love JT.

F/L was really unique in the mid 2000s. It not only features several other artists, such as will.i.am, T.I., and The Benjamin Wright Orchestra, but it also pulled influence from my favorite genre: rock. Yeah, you heard me. David Bowie, The Killers, Radiohead. And not to mention the other obvious influences like Prince, Stevie Wonder, and The King of Pop himself, Michael Jackson.

But what about the influence the album itself had? Well for one, F/L really impacted not only Timberlake’s career but also Timbaland’s. Think back for a second: remember how many artists Timbaland produced back in the mid 2000s? This album is why. I mean just think about how many artists were influenced by Timberlake and Timbaland’s sound — there’s Nelly Furtado’s “Promiscuous,” Timbaland’s own “The Way I Are,” (admittedly my jam), and of course “Apologize,” OneRepublic’s hit single that Timbaland remixed and was played on the radio for literally forever and a year. I mean, these songs kinda defined the era. At least, that’s how I remember it. I was in like the fifth grade so maybe my memory is skewed. Except, wait. It’s not because I’m right.

Really, from the insanely catchy “SexyBack” which I’m pretty sure is the reason people even say “I’m bringing sexy back” (because, yes, JT is) to the strangely insightful (and depressing) “Losing My Way,” FutureSex/LoveSounds delivers. Much like The 20/20 Experience (which I’ve already written about here) these songs aren’t just your average pop songs. They really show the kind of experimentation and innovation Timberlake isn’t afraid of. Many of the songs on the album do the whole 6-minute sort of two songs in one thing that JT and Timbaland do quite a bit, but it’s not bad. It adds flow. Every song has a place on the album and there’s a continuity that makes the album just seem natural. And once again, the JT you’re hearing played on the radio isn’t the JT you hear on the album.

Of course, the same complaint I had with 20/20 stands: I don’t need to listen to a minute and a half of “my love” repeated over again, but once the transition happens it makes you forget about the transgression. The album is just fun. You can really hear exactly what JT pours into it just like you can his other music. And the best part about it? A lot of it was demoed from improv. So if that’s not talent, I can’t tell you what is.

So give this one a listen, even if you generally don’t like pop music. Or maybe you generally do like pop music, in which case you need a musication (music education) and this is where to start. And until next week (or whenever I update these days), keep listening.

Singles (because by god there were a lot): SexyBack, My Love, What Goes Around Comes Around, Summer Love, and LoveStoned/I Think She Knows

Other Honorable Mentions: FutureSex/LoveSound, Damn Girl, Losing My Way

This Week’s Experience

Wow, has this week been nuts. We just moved and unfortunately we get no internet or cable until like June 9th or something like that. I don’t have a laptop, so I can’t go to Starbucks or something to get wifi, and my iPad capabilities are limited when it comes to WordPress (and pre-orientation college information, too). My original plan for this week was to write about a Frank Turner album, but as I have no internet, I had no way to buy/download/stream/listen to it and I couldn’t find a hard copy. So that plan went out the window pretty fast. My dogs ended up saving my butt again, as I had to drive to Cleveland to pick them up, and on that trip I ended up listening to some JT. Therefore, I give you (hopefully before midnight)….

Album: The 20/20 Experience (Part 1)                                Artist: Justin Timberlake

And what an experience it is. A Justin Timberlake album is unique in that it’s designed for the listener. If you’re going to listen to a JT album, you have to commit and listen to it, because you don’t get the full experience if you don’t.

The 20/20 Experience was Timberlake’s first album since FuterSex/LoveSounds which came out in 2006, so I think everyone was wondering what to expect from his epic return to the music industry. Well, it’s an experience to say the least. The album features ten songs that average about six or seven minutes each, which seems abnormally long for a pop album — but this isn’t just any pop album.

I won’t deceive you — I’m totally on the JT bandwagon, and let me tell you why. I think Justin Timberlake is very innovative, something that has been pretty apparent. Together with Timbaland as his producer, JT hasn’t disappointed me yet. The 20/20 Experience has a lot of interesting sounds, and pulls influence from what is undoubtedly some old school funk and pop, and maybe even some classic R&B. It’s a very artistic album and every song has quite a few rhythm and melody changes. In short, the JT you hear on the radio is not the JT you hear on the album. I mean, they aren’t gonna play eight minutes of experimental funk on the radio, as cool as that would be. Side note: this is why I went totally hipster and just quit listening to the radio.

Back to the point, the artistic aspect of his albums is what makes JT one of the better pop artists of our time. The 20/20 Experience has the upbeat pop you would expect from Justin Timberlake, the sexy lyrics you’d expect from Justin Timberlake, and the ultimate class you’d expect from Justin Timberlake, but it’s also completely different from anything you’d expect from Justin Timberlake.

I think the best example of this is not found in “Suit & Tie” or “Mirrors” (both good songs that were very overplayed by the radio), but in songs like “Pusher Love Girl,” “Don’t Hold The Wall,” and “Spaceship Coupe.” I guess my point here is that if you think you know JT, you don’t know JT until you’ve sat and listened to the art that he puts out. When discussing the origin of the albums title, Timberlake quotes a friend of his who described it as “music you can see.” Honestly, that’s the best way to describe it. My only major criticism for the album is the length of each track. At some point, in the eight minutes that is almost every single track, there is a repetitive nature that does get a little old on say, the eight listen. To me, this isn’t the album I’d leave in my cd player for days on end, but rather something I’d like to put on when I’m doing chores or just want to have my own private dance party.

Overall, I was very satisfied with the album, and I recommend you sit down and listen to it straight through at least once. Make sure you have a good chunk of time if you choose to do so. Hopefully I can get to Part 2 some time in the future. Until that happens though, keep listening!!

As always, comments or requests are appreciated!

Honorable Song Mentions: Don’t Hold The Wall, Spaceship Coupe, That Girl, Blue Ocean Floor