Friday, November 22, 2013

Final Grade: C (maybe even a C-)

Man...this album sucks.  It sucks so much that it I only had 1 more day of songs left and put it off for a month and a half.  Anyone who knows me knows that I loooooove me some JT, and have since I was 6 years old, but baby... baby... why?  While Pt 1 wasn't his best album, it was still pretty dope, whereas this one is essentially all of the cuts that didn't make Pt 1.  There's a reason they didn't make the cut, because they're lame.  There are literally 2 songs I like on this album - "Take Back the Night," and "Drink You Away."  "Cabaret" has a super dope beat, but the lyrics are dumb as fuck.  "True Blood"  what a dumb fucking song.  I don't even want to get too much deeper into why this album is so dumb, because it just makes me so mad that my love (no pun intended) would do me so wrong like this.  Just oh so wrong.  Bad, JT, bad.

Songs of the Day (a month and a half later...)

I was so bored with this album, that I forgot to finish reviewing it.  So here are the last tracks: "You Got It On," "Amnesia," "Only When I Walk Away," and "Not a Bad Thing." 
"You Got It On" isn't all that bad, but there's nothing about it that really grabs me.  The beat is cool, but that's what Timbaland does.  JT sounds good, as per usual, but yet again, the lyrics really aren't doing anything for me.  "You don't gotta worry about what you wear tonight/ baby you got it...on" - ok, I get it, he's saying his lady is so fly that it doesn't matter what she's wearing, but I don't know...something about the placement, or how he sings it, it's just not as sexy as I would hope for it to be.  The beat doesn't change much throughout the track, so it gets a little boring.  The string ending is kind of nice, but not really necessary... but I get it because it goes into the string intro of "Amnesia."  This beat is okay, not the best on the album, not the worst, just okay.  JT's harmonies are nice, and I'm always a sucker for harmonies, so that's a couple positive points.  I was really hoping that the chorus would pack a little more of a punch, but it just kind of happens and you're like "oh...this is the chorus?"  Luckily the beat does grow as the song goes on, as do the harmonies, which help bring the song up.  I almost feel like the mix is a little off on this one and would have benefited if the instrumentation was brought up a little bit, and JT was brought down a tad.  Now, had the song stopped and not gone into this lame B section, I would be down with this track, but noooooo, had to make the last 2 minutes into some wannabe eerie shit.  Also, the way JT sings "fuckin amnesia" is slightly off putting.  The strings are unnecessary.  Shoulda quit while you were ahead, boo.  "Only When I Walk Away"... I haven't been able to decide whether or not I like this track.  It's definitely different from the other tracks, which is cool, and I dig the guitar/rock sound going on here.  I guess it's the vocal effect I'm not sure about.  It works with the track, but it kind of takes away from JT's vocals.  The concept of only loving someone when they walk away is a good idea, I definitely know that feeling.  It's a heavier track than the rest of them, which I like.  The B section...is okay, but again, unnecessary (especially since it's mainly instrumental).  AND THEN YOU HAVE TO DO A C SECTION (no babies).  Completely unnecessary.  And is there anything more overused than blow horns?  No.  Why can't these dudes just stop while they're ahead????  Stop it.  "Not a Bad Thing" is, unfortunately, a bad thing.  Everything about this track is so corny.  I thought you left your boy band days for a reason, boo?  This opening section is way to major...and lame.  Yes, it's a love song, but c'mon JT, you've done so much better!  I'm trying to pay attention, but it's just so...lame.  AND WHY IS THIS OVER 11 MINUTES LONG?!  The acoustic guitar thing is nice, but completely unnecessary.  And why are you talking about "flying on a big ol pair of wings?"  Wackness.  JT, why you gotta do this to me, baby??