Let's listen to Justin Timberlake's music.
You often hear of schools offering courses designed to help students learn to appreciate music. Some of these courses instruct their students on the theory that supposedly makes music beautiful. Their students may study chords, rhythm, or even encompass the study of a particular instrument. At one point in my own college career, I took such a course in addition to private music lessons in cello and piano. As I wrote my term paper on one of Robert Schumann's cello concertos, I remembered learning so many musical devices like meslissmas, trills, vibrato, crescendos, and diminuendos.
Perhaps to the dismay of some musicologists, this lens deals less with the technicalities and complexities of music. However, I am not examining his looks either. Instead, this lens analyzes more of the unique artistic qualities of Justin Timberlake's music. This lens may seem a bit sappy, but I let you know about how he brings out the feeling of his music. In truth, I find feeling an important to any type of music.
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A song becomes an endless ramble of words . . . if lacking the quality of human nature -- not necessarily a passion for the asthetics of sound but a passion for the natural emotion . . .
So much uniquness, so many examples . . .
Not one, but many . . .
- Expression of feelings such as sadness, pain, and pleasure through story-line lyrics (the lyrics show great understanding and empathy)
- Control of instrumentation like cellos, electric keyboards, and drums (i.e. Justin Timberlake's "Love Stoned")
- Use of inarticulate sounds such as grunts, single-word utterances, and short three-word phrases (i.e. Justin Timberlake's "What Goes Around")
- Adjusting the volume and timbre of his voice according to melody, rhythm, and feeling
- Collaboration with such artists like Timbaland, Nelly Furtado, and the guys of N'Sync
- Imaginative and thought-provoking story line with realistic portrayal
- Risk-taking, creative music (i.e. seeming willingness to accept challenges and collaborations)
- Use of multi-layered melodies and echoes (Listen to those Justin Timberlake songs!)
- Blending the hum of a woman's voice in the background with the story line of the music (Doesn't it seem like he worships them in music?)
- With his voice, the words of his song convey much meaning (Feel the emotions and passion put into his songs!)
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What's in each of his songs?
A few of Justin Timberlake's songs . . .
This easy, conversation-like song reflects on an indifference toward players' attempts and pursuing serious relationships. In this song, he seems pretty casual in the way that he sings lightly at the end of words like the often-repeated "later." You can hear light snapping of fingers, Timbaland's naming of TV shows, and the very amiable collaboration with Timbaland. At the same time, you could view the singers' rambling about a girl's playing attitude as a result of an emotional scar too.
"Love Stoned"
I like how the steady, thumps of his voice and low-pitch background adds a mysterious and dark feel to the song. The low, steady thumps of the drums add a lot of suspense to the storyline of his song. I envision a hard-boiled detective and his encounter with the novel's femme fatale in a dark alley.
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What's in each of his songs?
Feel the mood . . . (in terms of the story line of the lyrics. . . )
This song may have swear words, but they effectively help portray his attractiveness to the girl that he sings about. Along with his high-pitch singing, these swear words casully show how desperately he hopes that she will love him back. Notice how the piercing melody in the background seems to repeatedly skid and fade rapidly at times to reflect his uncertainty in his ability to get her. Notice how he also uses "if" and asks questions that suggests his wishes to have her. His chorus's repetition of the song title's words too especially show his dedication to her. Additionally, you can hear the high-pitched humming of a woman in the background as he sings. It gives an impression that he worships her.
"Summer Love"
Justin Timberlake's light rap especially makes this song unique. He seems casual but pleading in his insistence that the girl should like him. He spells out "love," and it gives emphasis to his claim of sincerity. You can even hear the clapping in the background that might resemble the heart beat of someone who hopes to succeed in a pursuit of a potential lover.
"Until the End of Time"
This peaceful song seems stretched out as Timberlake sings much more slowly and sadly. You think of a bowed string of a viola because he drags out his words in his characteristic high-pitch voice. He seems as though he whines, but you can hear him pronounce his words clearly and steadily. You can feel his melancholy mood. You can easily glimpse at the photo of him surveying the ocean and walking alone to envision his sense of futility.
"What Goes Around"
Think of a poetry sung rather than read solely emphatically in front of a crowd. In contrast to some poetry readings, Justin Timberlake definitely shows to accentuate the feeling of his song with his creative hybrid mix of story and song. The tenseness in the beginning of the song emerges in a stoic behavior that inevitably and gradually erupts into a proclamtion that he cannot let go of his ex-girlfriend. You might have not expected more passion than possible embedded in the introduction. Then, in "What Goes Around," he follows up with the theme of pain with the addition of inarticulate sounds and the echoes of words that express pain. The music reflects an overpowering burden of feeling pain and growing malice as the result of losing his lover to some other guy. The crescendo of the electric keyboard rises in volume as he sings about his difficulty of speaking about his loss. The cheer of Timbaland at his girlfriend's loneliness reflects on the depth of Timberlake's mixed feelings of suffering and gratification in the song. The rap of Timbaland, the light ringing bell-like sound of the electronic keyboard, and the lingering laughter of Timberlake shows the pleasure of Timberlake learning that his girlfriend has shared his tragic fate. The descent of tension resigns into a comical tune that reflects his great pain. Looking at the song more carefully, all of the elements of this song together help express the complications of his relationship to her while envisioning her realizing the aftermath of infidelity through the effects of karma.
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Collaborations with N'Sync
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Amazon Price: $12.97 (as of 09/08/2008)
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Amazon Price: $10.99 (as of 09/08/2008)
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Amazon Price: $8.99 (as of 09/08/2008)
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What is your impression of Justin Timberlake's latest album release? Do you think that adding bonus tracks is worth the effort to release a second version of that album?
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