Justin Timberlake - Man Of The Woods (2018) Review

Well, let’s begin this.

I’ll admit it, I’m a Justin Timberlake fan. He seems like the biggest guy to ever come from a boy band, and has got enough charm and talent in him. I do remember him being one of the biggest artists back in 2006, especially with something as odd as Sexyback, and something as big as What Goes Around Comes Around. He still had it in 2013, with Mirrors and Suit and Tie, and even Not A Bad Thing. But now, he’s back, and I’ll admit, I was worried about him, especially with the shitty comebacks of Katy Perry and Eminem. I honestly did not want him to fall into another artist who became nothing but mainstream BS..though he was already mainstream to begin with. But yeah, will this album deliver? Um...I don’t know.

1. Filthy

So we begin this album with his most split and hated song yet, Filthy. In my opinion, this is his most weirdest song yet. Basically, it’s a sex song with some pretty questionable lyrics (WHAT YOU GONNA DO WITH ALL THAT MEAT?), and JT’s voice is usually the type that annoys the shit out of me. So do I hate it? No, not really.

Yeah, I kinda like this one. I mean, I know it’s stupid and all, but other than the great production with the return of Timbaland, it’s just the weirdness of the song that makes it. Granted, this is basically JT’s Chained To The Rhythm...or at least his Bon Appetiti, but I don’t know, it’s the charm he gives in this. But still, fair rating. But the ending is just pretty bizarre and weird. 2.5/4

2. Midnight Summer Jam

Now we get the return of the Neptunes, Pharrell’s duo who gave us Like I Love You, Rock Your Body And Senorita, plus most of the Justified tracks. For this track, I do get a Justified vibe to it, and to be honest, it’s a pretty fun dance track, besides ONE THING. Pharrell’s background noise in the back is really hard to ignore. Plus, I feel like Justin needed more material in this song. But still, fair enough I guess, besides that FREAKIN’ VOICE. 2.5/4

3. Sauce 

Now we get another Timbaland produced song. The production is great on it, and Timberlake does fine on it. Yet, while I do feel some of JT’s charm is on the track, it feels like the song lacks something in JT. I don’t know what it is yet, but still, fine song. 2.5/4

4. Man Of The Woods

Now for the title track, with the return of the Neptunes, and it’s another sex song. I like the production, especially with the Country-esqe guitar, and again, I do get some of JT’s charm in here. There’s still questionable lyrics (DOWN YOUR LEGS, THERES THE FAUCET). However, to be honest, it’s still one of the most tolerable songs on the album. 3/4

5. Higher Higher

Holy crap, another Neptunes song. This time, it’s another sex song. More questionable lyrics (Might as well have some butter, melting all over, Girl, what? No seriously, what? That sounds like some SNL shit.), but good production. Fair enough, I guess. 2.5/4.

6. Wave

More Neptunes. I absolutely love their island style production on the song, and just the whole chill vibe of the song. However, my god, the chorus is so repetitive. Seriously, you couldn’t find anything else to say other than “wave”? But despite that, it’s just a pretty fun song altogether, getting past the repetitiveness. Looks like Pharrell and Chad saved JT this time. 3/4

7. Supplies

Now we get to the Neptunes again, with the second single. However, this time, it’s basically a trap song. I’ll admit, this was the single that had me worried about the album. Yeah, just in case you were sick of hearing the same generic run of the mill cymbal beat song, you hear it in here, with the Quavo-esqe “BWWW” beat. Yeah, that’s basically what this song is. Add that to Justin’s Jeremih-Style stuttering in the chorus. However, I still don’t hate this song. No really, despite all these flaws, I don’t know, it’s still listenable, and I swear, I really am trying my best not to stan JT. I guess it’s just how everything is delivered in the song. Again, definitely not a good song, but still listenable. 2.5/4

8. Morning Light

Now we get a ballad, with a FutureSex-esqe style. Alicia Keys gets a good verse on this song, and shares some good chemistry with Justin. I’m a little mixed on the production, since it feels a bit over the top. However, for such a small ballad like this, I guess it kinda works. But really, still a pretty good collab. 3/4

9. Say Something

Another Chris Stapleton song. I like the production on this, and to be honest, this actually feels like the most upbeat song on the album. Plus, like with Alicia, both artists give good chemistry in it. So yeah, this is another good song. 3/4

10. Hers (Interlude)

Yeah...no comment.

11. Flannel

Okay, the next four songs are Neptunes songs, and this time, we get a laid back song, that’s pretty odd. Justin has a pretty awkward delivery of the main lyrics, and is it just me, or does the chorus kinda sound like the Lemmiwinks song from South Park? But again, a fair song. Also, WHAT IS WITH THESE SEX ENDINGS? 2.5/4

12. Montana

Once again, good production, and a good performance from Justin, with a chill vibe. But yeah, just another standard song. Nothing else really. 2.5/4

13. Breeze Off The Pond

Same as the other track. Production, performance, good, chill vibe, but nothing to praise really. 2.5/4

14. Living Off The Land

Same factors as before, but with some pretty odd writing, with themes I probably don’t get, and a pretty memorable chorus. So yeah, I still got nothing else. 3/4

15. The Hard Stuff

Yet, another Country style song...that’s about sex. Yeah, nothing stands out again, especially with some pretty weak songwriting. Though at this point at the album, I shouldn’t really be questioning the COMPLETELY odd songwriting. But still, a good sounding song, but IDK, I’m just too weirded out at this point. 2.5/4

16. Young Man

Now for the finale, where after all the songs about sex, it’s about singing to a kid. To be fair, this DOES sound more like the 20/20 JT, and has a good peformance, plus an adorable vibe. Yet, this has probably the most awkwardest lyric in ALL OF THE ALBUM.

Beautiful boy, got it from your momma

Damn, she look good, you might get a sister

...You do know you’re talking to a kid, right?

But still, a good performance, and despite that, a good song. But seriously, a finale like this, FOR AN ALBUM LIKE THIS? 3/4

Final Thoughts:

....I don’t know what to say. I mean, I REALLY don’t know what to say. This was just...odd. I mean, a completely odd experience. Part of me wants to like it, but part of me wants to treat this as if it’s another Witness.

But still, looking at the album, Pharrell and Chad Hugo’s production saved a lot of the songs, giving each one a bit of a chill vibe. Even JT gives a good performance on each song. But my god, we needed more of him on the album, and not the production, which honestly MADE the album. To me, Justin needed more material on this, especially since the songwriting lacked, and when it didn’t, we got some PRETTY QUESTIONABLE LYRICS. Even some of the collabs could’ve done more. I mean, it’s JT with Alicia Keys, with help from Chris Stapleton no less. How was this not a big deal? Plus, a lot of the songs felt eaten up by repetition, which took up a lot of the lyrics. Yet, the whole album has this chill vibe to it, that makes me not hate it.

I not trying to be a JT stan. If I was, I would’ve blindly praised this album, like how a retarded Chris Brown fan does. But still, this is nothing compared to Justified, FutureSex/LoveSounds and 20/20 (which the albums does have parts of scattered throughout it), yet, it’s its’ own thing, and for that, I guess it’s not bad. But really...WHAT DID I JUST LISTEN TO?

3/5 

Favorites:

Say Something, Man Of The Woods, Wave, Morning Light, Living Off The Land, Young Man

Least Favorites:
The Hard Stuff

Yeah...that is all, see ya, and I hope he still has it for the Super Bowl.