Justin Timberlake’s adequate comeback

The world hasn’t seen a new Justin Timberlake album since FutureSex/LoveSounds back in 2006.

In the meantime he has been busy saving the world in the single ‘4 minutes’ with Madonna, acting opposite Mila Kunis in Friends with Benefits, and playing entrepreneur Sean Parker in The Social Network.

Now, the pop star has released a new studio album after a 7-year hiatus.

The 20/20 Experience shifts Timberlake’s music from pop and R&B to a more soulful style.

Compared to his earlier songs, this isn’t a collection of simple club hits; this album brings out Timberlake’s mature side.

On the downside, the songs are unnecessarily long and the lyrics aren’t anything to shout about either.

Timberlake combines excellent music with nonsensical lyrics, such as “If you’d be my strawberry bubblegum, then I’d be your blueberry lollipop.” It’s a frustrating glitch on an album that for the most part is slick and polished. The topic of Timberlake’s love life is present throughout his new album…as always.

Some of the songs are worth a mention though. In ‘Mirrors’, and brassy soul numbers ‘Pusher Love Girl’ and ‘That Girl’, Timberlake proves to be a well-established and experienced singer showing musical maturation.

Timbaland, returning as executive producer, brings his distinctive beat-box sound to tracks ‘Don’t Hold The Wall’ and ‘Mirrors’.

The 20/20 Experience does not fail, but it does not deliver fully either.

Of the many good songs on the album, none rival ‘Cry Me a River’, My Love’ or ‘What Goes Around…Comes Around’.