The Surprisingly Subtle Return of Justin Timberlake

Image courtesy of Sony Music Ireland.

We've already chatted about Justin Timberlake teasing with the details of his return late last week. Earlier today, JT finally gave us Suit & Tie the opening gambit from new album The 20/20 Experience due later this year (as confirmed by Timberlake in an open letter on his website). The production comes via Timbaland and also features Jay-Z. So far, so starry. But what's really impressive about Suit & Tie is just how "subtle" it is.

After a slow-mo opening with a judder-y hip-hop beat it bursts into a sprightly R&B groove that feels like the kind of fusion of radio-ready R&B, soul references and shimmery pop that only a Timbaland/Timberlake production could provide. It's got a grown-up air to it, like a logical follow on from the overall feel of his Futuresex/LoveSounds album.

The consensus from fans and pundits today (speaking of, both The Prophet Blog and The Guardian's Michael Cragg have good takes on it here) is that it's not a Sexy/Back style banger, a big lead single that announces a triumphant return to chart dominance. But in a odd way this feels like a good thing. For starters, Suit & Tie may not sound like some kind of huge comeback song but it's sophisticated, infectious and has a sort of lived-in confidence that only a huge star could pull off. Timberlake is effectively taking a look at what's huge and doing his own thing.  Given that his previous material was produced by Timbaland who then went on to enjoy a ubiquity that would see a certain production style seem played out it's a smart move. For an artist that prides himself on keeping a fairly low musical output (as that now infamous video speech suggests) it's a good fit to keep things moving at a pace that feels like his.

Whether the R.Kelly/Robin Thicke vibe of this will comfortably land with radio and big audiences is hard to debate but as an opening gambit Timberlake has got us talking with a tune that feels like a solid mix of throwback and something fresh. By doing his own thing Justin has probably made the most interesting move of all. 

Suit & Tie is on iTunes now, you can stream it in full here. The 20/20 Experience is released later this year.

Beyonce and Justin Timberlake Leave Us All Punk'd

Popular Musician / Punk'd Victim Justin Timberlake

The last time you were probably still buying CDs and getting new Destiny's Child music was 2004 and you were probably watching Punk'd. And in 2006 you were probably dancing like a sexy man/woman to Justin Timberlake's SexyBack at Da Club and laughing at Justin's mama's boy emotional meltdown on Punk'd. 

It should be apt then that these two musical powerhouses managed to Punk everybody today getting Twitter based pop fans in a lather with slightly misleading announcements.

Destiny's Child was the real IS THIS REALLY HAPPENING MOMENT and probably the most disappointing. Just over an hour ago Beyonce's website posted this announcement with B's apparent delight at the first "original" music by the group in eight years. Cue tears, screams and all caps joy from pop fans whose memory of everything from Bills, Bills, Bills to the unintentional hilarity of Cater 2 U. 

Beyonce's face everytime she sees Kim Kardashian. Maybe.

Never mind that the album was called Love Songs which sounds a bit compilation-y, that Beyonce is in the middle of pushing her new album and about to do the Superbowl THEY ARE BACK EVERY ONE. But sadly, we were Punk'd by Team Beyonce (do you remember when she was on it?). It's in fact a compilation with one new song. It sounds to be frank, ropey but maybe the new song will be a "hidden gem"

OMG!!11 IZ DIs Daa Nu dCtHREE alBum?!

The thing is as annoying as this it's also hilarious. Purely because it's so deliberate on Team Beyonce's part (you just know they worded that way to get a bit of attention) and also for the idea that somebody did this to try and outdo the Justin Timberlake announcement. Meanwhile, Christina Aguilera is probably throwing darts at pictures of everyone who was big in 2000-2004's and while crying softly.

"Don't make me hit like you I maybe did with Michelle!"

Now Justin has sort of Punk'd us too. Which is apt given that he was on the first episode of the show and his baby-ish crying to his mom over a broken guitar is one of The Greatest TV Moments of All Time. A tweet about some kind of announcement today at got everyone in a lather about a new song appearing out of nowhere although many had pointed out that some hastily deleted tweets from a radio station suggested a Monday play. Nonetheless plenty of fans flew to Justin's website a little while ago to see what the deal was.

And AGAIN we were Punk'd. No new song, just a pretentious YouTube video and a countdown. In a way this is still exciting because it's been so long since Timberlake has done any music that we can probably wait a few days. Still it's funny how instead of spending our weekend getting down to JT's latest we'll just have to watch him moodily walk around and say things like I CAN'T JUST KNOCK AN ALBUM OUT EVERY 5 MINUTE ...RIHANNA! (And as I said earlier this Billboard piece hints at some interesting stuff on the album and this MTV look at Justin's work the last few years is also fascinating)

          

With Beyonce and Justin joining Britney, Kylie, Cher and Lady Gaga in the Big Pop Acts Bringing Out New Material stakes 2013 is going to be an absolute mess. I can't wait.

Pop Roundup: The Original Sugababes, Beyonce & Justin Timberlake and more

Thursday means you nearly have the weekend to look forward to. Or something. But either way it's the end of our first full, not sort of stuck between New Year's Eve week of pop excitement and it's already been quite something. Here are some pop bits I've been enjoying this week.

Mutya Keisha Siobhan Finally Sort of Unveil a Song

The reunion of the three girls that made up the first run of the Sugababes has many pop fans in hysterics. They've been fairly quiet bar some red carpet apperances and promising press rumblings. After they sang some songs on New Year's Eve they unveiled an acapllea version of upcoming tune Boys and Popjustice have more info and a studio clip. This is not just one of the most exciting things of the week but of THE YEAR SO FAR. Which is about two weeks long but whatever.

Beyonce is Going To Be Everywhere This Year

Beyonce's GQ cover has had everyone going in to a tizzy this week but the interview accompanying it is possibly more illuminating. The real revelation is that she's creating an archive of all of the images, interviews, performances she's done. Incredible. There's also some tidbits about the new album with plenty of references to 90s r&b etc. This whole "90s R'n'B" has been bubbling under with indie/dance artists for ages so it looks R'n'B is "back" again. As in BACK all over the charts/radio/to the point of it being annoying not just "Jessie Ware covers Brownstone" back.

Justin Timberlake is Also Back

Later today apparently JT will announce a single or debut a single or give us something musical. THANK GOD. THANK. GOD. Billboard are saying that he's done "around 20 tracks " with Timbaland. How exciting. There are also whispers of Jay-Z and Beyonce being on the song (and Beyonce does mention working with Justin in the GQ interview above). I need to lie down. 

The Saturdays "Conquer America"

The Saturdays are, I suppose, quite successful here and in the UK and their attmepts to do the same Stateside will be followed by a new TV show on E! Basically Ryan Seacrest is putting his TV muscle behind them to make them Kardashian-size famous. I'm not convinced this is going to work but given that their first US TV interview is with Chelsea Handler, at least we're getting a solid laugh out of it. Although my fave, Irish Stunner Una, doesn't get my chance to talk. Disappointing.

Robyn's Stylist Sounds Very Interesting

This Spin interview with Robyn's stylist is fascinating. (Thanks to Idolator)

I'll be doing a new music post on GCN.ie tomorrow too but for now enjoy that lot and perhaps you too would like to start working on your personal archive? If Beyonce can do it then so can you!