Justin Timberlake, “Mirrors”
For the next several months, Justin Timberlake is going to be everywhere, as would anyone who has a huge machine behind him to make as much happen as possible. I think he’s going to need all of that exposure, too. The 20/20 Experience, his third album and first in seven years, will need to bring it in more ways than you can slice it. I really like the debut single “Suit & Tie”, but it hasn’t gone over the top, and instead is taking second fiddle to “Harlem Shake” and Rihanna’s “Stay” among others. With a more straight-forward vocal, as we’ve heard in the past on songs like “Cry Me A River” and “What Goes Around…Comes Around”, “Mirrors” is definitely playing to his core audience, which is now seven years older, plus his *N Sync fans, who are now 10 years older. He can croon anything beautifully, but really how exceptional is “Mirrors”? Like “Suit & Tie”, it’s nothing if not solid. Unlike key songs from FutureSex/LoveSounds (my favourite album of 2006, and “SexyBack” was my #1 song of that year), neither song is a game changer. I’m crossing my fingers for some surprises within The 20/20 Experience.
Semi-Precious Weapons, “Aviation High”
I was wondering what Justin Tranter and the boys from NYC were up to after their high profile openings for Lady GaGa on the Monster Ball tour in 2009-10. The band long preceded those gigs with high energy rock ‘n roll shows full of crazy antics which led to the release of their first record We Love You in 2008. So now heading towards releasing their third record, this time through Epic Records, we find a more melodic, softer and soulful sound in “Aviation High”, released earlier this week and still available as a free download on Soundcloud (below). “Aviation High” is definitely more of a group effort but with a big, anthemic quality should sound great in concert. I’m thinking that the best (and more insane and more adventurous) songs are to come. While some fans may scratch their heads at this one, I think Semi-Precious Weapons are just about to take things to the next level.
Baby Bash featuring Miguel, “Slide Over”
It seems somewhat coincidental given my recent raves over “Lifted” by my fellow Canadians Kwik Fiks & Bongiovanni (which is essentially a cover of Baby Bash’s “Suga Suga”) that I happened to discover Baby Bash’s recent song and video, which now appears in this space. 10 years after “Suga Suga” perhaps lightning will strike twice, thanks to the featured vocal by another sweet-voiced singer, recent Grammy winner Miguel (and I’m a huge recent fan of his album Kaleidoscope Dream after his Grammy performance last week). Certainly Miguel’s fans will appreciate this pairing with a soft rap song that still has enough spike from Baby Bash to rise above the rest. This one deserves a shot.
Charlie Brown, “On My Way”
UK blue-eyed soul singer Charlie Brown first came to my attention in 2009 after appearing with a positively sweet vocal in an edgy piece of rap by Wiley called “The Rain”. He then dropped a mixtape (O.M.S. – from it I still play “Don’t Make Me Over” regularly) which epitomized UK soul at the time, and made him one of my 10 Performers To Watch in 2010. The powers that be then decided to try and re-market him as Charlie King, and then he fell off my radar. Now he’s back – as Mr. Brown – with a fine, slick piece of pop/soul that could do some big damage to start in the UK, “On My Way”. Can’t wait till a full album which will tell us what he’s been up to.
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