Justin Timberlake
“Suit & Tie” (f/ Jay-Z)
The 20/20 Experience (due out in 2013 on RCA)
It’s hard to believe that it has been seven whole years since JT released his watershed sophomore LP, FutureSex/LoveSounds. Considering how quickly pop culture moves on these days, the fact that the record still sounds so next level is remarkable, and you could easily argue that nobody has been able to touch it since its release. For that reason, Timberlake has been welcomed back into music with all the excitement of a Vince Young Wednesday night trip to the Cheescake Factory. Once the album was announced, some questioned whether he still had it, after seven, long years away. It takes Timberlake about 43 seconds to dispel that worry, as he weaves his effortless falsetto over an airy, brassy Timberland masterclass. If I was setting odds for album of the year, JT on the money line would officially be off the board. Unless, of course, Lance Bass’ long-awaited solo album, Japanese Theocracy, finally sees the light of day.
