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

What’s The Fuss About?

Once again, I’m cutting it close (and by close I mean late), but my suit mate has made it her personal goal to keep me on track despite the fact that she doesn’t read. Oh well. This week is kind of an important one, so if you don’t know any of these songs you probably should go listen to them now.

Album: Hot Fuss                                                                           Artist: The Killers

So lets talk about The Killers for a second. But before we do that, let’s pause for just a moment to appreciate that their name is The Killers because I like it. Like are they murderers, or are they just killing it all the time? (I know, I’m being so lame but it’s also midnight).

ANYWAY, Hot Fuss was The Killers’ first album, and was produced by a British record company called Lizard King Records. But what was that? They aren’t British? I won’t lie, I actually did think that The Killers were British for a long time (I mean, Flowers’ fake accent isn’t that bad) mostly because they played the UK seriously before the US and they record in the UK, etc… but they are in fact from Las Vegas. Not Los Angeles, Las Vegas. I know, I know. Not the stereotypical California you’d expect. I mean who would ever guess Nevada? But that isn’t the point.

A lot of this album was put together with Jeff Saltzman (who I do believe is a former manager for Green Day) as demos, but most of the demos from their earlier days made it onto Hot Fuss, which dropped in 2004. I think a lot of people my age and older certainly remember the singles “Mr. Brightside” and “Somebody Told Me,” because I know I sure do. I actually really associate The Killers with my older sister’s swimming days because I remember these songs playing in the car when I was little and we drove her to and fro. Again, not the point though. The point is this is an excellent album, especially for a debut.

The album opens with “Jenny Was A Friend Of Mine,” which is an upbeat, pop/rock funky mix that starts the album off pretty aggressively, but man is it a good song. The fist time I listened to Hot Fuss all the way through I remember getting about halfway through “Jenny” and thinking, “Yeah. This is gonna be a good album.”

The Killers’ sound is the perfect combination of that 90s rock n’ roll I love so much and everything that was good from the 80s. Between the funky bass, the 90s guitar riffs, and Flowers’ keyboard, it’s the perfect 80s/90s lovechild. There are heavy influences from the likes of Duran Duran and The Cure (to name a few), but also that late 90s sound of The Strokes and arguably the Smashing Pumpkins. And it just works. There’s a lot of talent in The Killers, and the members seem to mesh well together.

In fact, Hot Fuss actually makes for great running music. Most of it’s tempos are held fast, the best example of this being “Somebody Told Me.” The music seems to fly by, even as Flowers pleads “Pace yourself for me/I said maybe baby, please.” And overall, I find myself pretty impressed with Brandon Flowers’ lyrics. I mean, we can all admit it: some of them are kind of cheesy (example, “Smile like you mean it”), but then there are lines like “Save some face/You know you’ve only got one,” found in “Smile Like You Mean It” or the somewhat gospel-like anthem “I’ve got soul but I’m not a soldier,” found in “All These Things That I’ve Done.”

Hot Fuss has it’s slower moments though; “Andy, You’re a Star” opens with a somewhat raunchy guitar riff, but turns into a pretty impressive ballad and “Everything Will Be Alright” is a kinda creepy synthesizer anthem with strangely beautiful lyrics.

I guess what it all boils down to is this: Hot Fuss was kind of a big deal. It made not just one, but two of Rolling Stones’ top 100 lists (including Top 100 of the Decade and Top 100 Greatest Debuts). The Killers are the perfect example of how pop and rock can mesh together to make good, mainstream music that isn’t trash. If you ask me, we need another band like them now.

Any suggestions? Leave them here, Twitter, or Facebook! Until next week, keep listening 🙂

Honorable Song Mentions: Jenny Was A Friend Of Mine, Smile Like You Mean It, All These Things That I’ve Done, On Top, Midnight Show