Review: Everything I Thought It Was by Justin Timberlake

  

 

Justin Timberlake was the biggest male pop star of the 2000s, but ever since his 2013 comeback The 20/20 Experience, he's gradually lost respect and relevancy. 2018's Man of the Woods did not meet expectations, and with 2024's Everything I Thought I Was, it's clear that he's become a legacy artist. Despite the moderate success of lead single "Selfish", none of the other songs have made any real impact and the album was Timberlake's first since his 2002 solo debut Justified not to hit No.1 in America. Timberlake had a good run, and longer than his contemporaries like Usher, Britney Spears, and Christina Aguilera, but perhaps it would have been a bit longer if not for his ex-girlfriend's scathing memoir and the backlash against his history of so-called "white male privilege". We won't be discussing his personal life, however, as this article is only about his latest album.

     To be honest, calling this an "album" may feel a little off, because it comes across as more of a compilation of random songs that don't mesh well when put together, but I guess that's how a lot of albums are during the current streaming era. Most of the tracks don't feel very connected, and with 20 of them clocking in at over 76 minutes, the album definitely would have benefited from trimming. It normally takes Timberlake longer to release an album than most artists, so perhaps the sheer number of songs here is slightly justified, but none of them really impress. Some songs, namely the opener "Memphis" and the closer "Conditions", induce cringe with their bandwagon trap beats and corny verses laced by Timberlake; he even tries to rap on "Memphis", and it falls flat. At 40-something-years-old, he comes across like an awkward dad trying to be down for teens and young adults in their 20s. "Uh, they say, 'life's a bitch/And then you die'/So please, if you're pennin' my eulogy, just say I tried/And that's word to Phineas, Jess and Si/And if I don't wake up in Heaven, then it was one hell of a ride". Whack.

    Timberlake fares better when he's treading familiar ground on the disco-pop songs "Fuckin' Up the Disco", "No Angels", and "My Favorite Drug", but these songs lack the authenticity and charm of Timberlake's earlier hits like "Rock Your Body" and "Summer Love", sounding more like something you'd expect from Dua Lipa. It's not that any of these songs are bad; they're just below Timberlake's standard. "Selfish" and "Imagination" sound like they'd have been better for Taylor Swift or Nick Jonas. "Drown" is sort of like "Cry Me a River", but without any of the memorable beat-boxing or hip hop elements. "Liar" is pure filler. "Sanctified" is another failed rock experiment. "Play" goes nowhere and the ballad "Alone" is just boring. Most of these tracks were produced by people Timberlake has never worked with before, and none of them click. Sure, he reunited with Danja and Rob Knox on some of them, but they've never been among his better collaborators (and Danja is nothing without Timbaland, anyway). Was Pharrell busy?

    The very best songs here are the ones that were worked on by Timberlake's longtime collaborator Timbaland, even though most of them sound like outtakes from the 20/20 Experience and Man of the Woods. "What Lovers Do" sounds like a classic Timbaland production with its stuttering beats, "Technicolor" and "Love & War" are serviceable R&B slow jams, and "Infinity Sex" brings to mind Timberlake's FutureSex/LoveSounds heyday, right down to the stupid title. Still, the only truly memorable track on this album is "Paradise" (also produced by Timbaland), which has Timberlake reuniting with his fellow 'N Sync members for a sentimental ballad reminiscent of "God Must Have Spent (A Little More Time on You)". As nice as the song is, though, Timberlake suddenly bringing his old boys back is a clear indicator that he's well past his prime. If Timberlake ever releases another solo album, he should cut back on the number of outside producers and stick to working with Timbaland (or maybe not, since Timbo seems to have embraced AI). But people would be more interested in a new 'N Sync album at this point.

        Best song: "Paradise" featuring 'N Sync.