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 two-part comeback The 20/20 Experience, he's gradually lost respect and relevancy. 2018's Man of the Woods was considered a disappointment, and with the failure of 2024's Everything I Thought I Was, it's clear that Timberlake has become a legacy artist. Despite the small success of lead single "Selfish", none of the other songs made any impact and the album was Timberlake's first since his 2002 solo debut Justified not to hit No.1 in America. It's also his first album not to be certified platinum by the RIAA. Timberlake had a good run, but it's clearly come to an end.

     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. Still, clocking in at over 76 minutes, this album definitely would have benefited from trimming. It normally takes Timberlake longer to release an album than most artists do, so maybe the number of songs here is slightly justified, but none of them 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 20-something-year-olds. "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 "Senorita", sounding more like something you'd expect from Dua Lipa or the Weeknd. It's not that any of the songs on this album are bad per se; most of them are just below Timberlake's standard, and that's the main issue here. "Selfish" and "Imagination" sound like they'd have been better for Taylor Swift or Nick Jonas. "Drown" is something like a poor man's "Cry Me a River". "Liar" is just filler, as is "Flame". "Sanctified" is just another one of Timberlake's failed attempts at rock. "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 a few songs, 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 they all sound like outtakes for his previous albums. "What Lovers Do" sounds like a classic Timbo joint highlighted by its distinct stuttering, syncopated beat, "Technicolor" and "Love & War" are decent slow jams, and "Infinity Sex" brings to mind Timberlake's FutureSex/LoveSounds heyday, right down to the moronic title. Still, the only truly memorable track on this album is "Paradise" (also produced by Timbo), which has Timberlake reuniting with his fellow 'N Sync members for an enjoyably cheesy ballad akin to their 1998 hit "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. Bring back Pharrell, then, I guess). But people would be more interested in a new 'N Sync album at this point.

        Best song: "Paradise" featuring 'N Sync.