Gavin Vondercrone
Contributing Writer
Justin Timberlake released his long-awaited sixth studio album “Everything I Thought It Was” this past Friday.
This is Timberlake’s first album since his 2018 project “Man of the Woods,” an album which was widely seen as a failed attempt to blend his R&B style with country and southern rock.
The overall theme of this new release is love, and everything that comes with it. Whether it be passion, intimacy, heartbreak or jealousy, if it relates to love it’s likely discussed on this album.
The biggest takeaway is Timberlake reverting back to his style from the early 2000s. The majority of the album reflects the style of his pop hits from earlier in his career.
Vocally, Timberlake sounds just as good as ever. His voice has aged like fine wine, and he doesn’t have a single bad performance. He even does some experimenting with different vocal pitches and intonations, which provide a much different sound compared to other projects in his discography.
Production-wise, the album is very safe. There aren’t any songs where the production is inherently bad. Not many risks are taken with the blending or sampling, but in a way, that fits perfectly with Timberlake’s style. The track that stands out the most in this aspect is “Sanctified,” which incorporates a hard-hitting guitar riff over its chorus, something that will likely catch the average listener off guard at first.
That’s not to say there aren’t moments of experimentation on this album. The last three songs are some of the most somber of Timberlake’s career.
“Alone” in particular is one of his most raw and emotional performances to date, and the album’s closer “Conditions” sees him share some of his flaws both as a performer and a person.
It wouldn’t be a Timberlake album without a few songs to dance to, and this album certainly delivers in that aspect. Songs like “F**kin’ Up The Disco,” “Play” and “My Favorite Drug” share the same amount of energy and aura as some of his earlier catalogs.
The album’s best song is easily “Technicolor,” a beautiful, seven-minute song with excellent vocals and an incredible beat switch about halfway through. It is reminiscent of some of Timberlake’s iconic, lengthy tracks from “The 20/20 Experience.”
While the album does have a lot of fun moments, it is not without its flaws. Multiple songs throughout the album are bland and repetitive. Songs like “What Lovers Do” and the album’s lead single “Selfish” simply aren’t as memorable due to minimalistic production and generic lyrics. Other tracks suffer from the same issue as well.
Another big issue the album has is its length. “Everything I Thought It Was” is one of Timberlake’s longest albums to date, clocking in at one hour and 17 minutes across 18 tracks. This length proves to be the album’s biggest weakness, as it feels like some of the more bland and repetitive tracks could have been left off the album entirely.
These issues could have easily been fixed. By cutting out the more forgettable songs and putting more focus on the emotional and experimental, this album could feel a lot less generic and watered down.
Despite these flaws, the album’s highlights make it a worthwhile listen. It is the textbook definition of safe: it follows a formula and stays clear of any major risks or experimentation. In a way, it feels like a “reset button,” a fresh start following a failed attempt at expansion. Nonetheless, “Everything I Thought It Was” is a solid addition to Timberlake’s discography and a potential first step in his return to the top of the pop scene.
