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Oct 10, 2013While the second release may not live up to the first, it’s hard not to hope for a third.
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Oct 4, 2013Part 2, by comparison [to Part 1], simply feels like an inessential cash grab, and it's strong evidence that everyone’s favorite pop star might be overstaying his welcome.
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Oct 3, 2013Cabaret with Drake has a catchy hook and gorgeously cheesy lyrics only Timberlake can pull off. The countrified Drink You Away almost works. The rest is forgettable.
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Oct 3, 2013This feels like an unnecessary and slightly cynical afterthought, much like a lot of pop music. It isn’t necessarily all bad in terms of quality. But it is utterly dispensable.
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Oct 2, 2013Pared down and stripped to its primal rudiments, the latest Timberlake saga could have been something truly epic; instead, it just feels unnecessarily immense.
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Oct 1, 2013Although he still goes on a bit long in places, with help from producer buddies like Timbaland, Timberlake--channeling his usual suspects from Michael Jackson to Prince--nails a more cohesive vibe on this follow-up.
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Oct 1, 2013In a world of quicker, faster, harder, it’s intriguing when songs spread out, taking their time to get to the point or create landscapes beyond the hook.
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Oct 1, 2013Timberlake throws every influence he’s ever touched at the canvas here, and he somehow gets away with it.
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Oct 1, 2013The indulgence that fit the designer Suits & Ties of Pt. 1 colors this record’s jungle sex openings and hidden “Hey There Delilah” endings, and it hamstrings an otherwise great singer into making a mediocre record.
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Oct 1, 2013Timberlake reined in his musical vision just enough to make this album more focused and engaging--but didn’t lose sight of his desire to take chances.
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Oct 1, 2013The 20/20 Experience 2 of 2 is not only superfluous, it actually erases some of the gains made by its predecessor as it plays into the worst trappings of self-indulgence.
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Sep 30, 2013It's a bit of a mess.
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Sep 30, 2013The second half is a laborious crawl, a variety of glorified and slow bonus tracks.
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Sep 30, 2013Artistic ambition is a wonderful attribute, but so is the ability to self-edit, and it’s in short supply. There’s a snappy single album of sharp pop music tucked inside the two 20/20 Experience bookends, but it’ll take listeners some work to find it.
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Sep 30, 20132 of 2, then, is an incredibly frustrating experience.
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Sep 30, 2013The 20/20 Experience 2 of 2 includes a few pop gems, but as an album, it pales in comparison to its older sibling.
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Sep 30, 2013It’s obvious Justin had quite a bit to say but sometimes, some things are just better left unsaid.
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Sep 30, 2013A 12-song sequel that comes on stronger than its ingratiating predecessor.
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Sep 30, 2013Surprisingly enough, however, The 20/20 Experience (2 of 2) is quite the step up from the first part. Even when it plunges into excess—which it does quite often—the basic pop structures underneath remain far more compelling than anything off of Part One.
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Sep 30, 2013Sure, there may be a shorter classic buried somewhere within the project’s 145+ minutes. Alas, this mythical album merely exists in my mind. 2 of 2, however, comes tantalizingly close to that ideal on its own.
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Sep 30, 2013Even if this stuff is willful, it's dazzling, too.
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Sep 30, 2013Ultimately, 2 of 2 doesn't so much eclipse its predecessor as it settles into the format more believably.
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Sep 30, 2013As it stands, with its insistence on aggressive polyrhythm and bumping bass, 2 of 2 is most certainly a funky record, but it's hardly a deeply soulful one. That's not a distinction without a difference.
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Sep 30, 2013This is a tighter record than the first volume, particularly the come-to-bed cheek of Cabaret, featuring his current chart competitor Drake. Things get slushier towards the end with Only When I Walk Away and Not a Bad Thing.
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Sep 27, 2013Comprising as it does outtakes from the sessions for The 20/20 Experience, it's hardly surprising there should be a drop-off in quality for this follow-up; but it's a pretty steep fall.
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Sep 26, 2013Apparently the producer saved his haymakers for round 2, because he's in full classic-Timba mode here.
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Sep 26, 2013The fact that they are the strongest efforts here suggests that, despite his admirable ambition, perhaps he should focus on what he does best.
Awards & Rankings
User score distribution:
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Positive: 274 out of 348
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Mixed: 43 out of 348
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Negative: 31 out of 348
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Oct 1, 2013
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Feb 9, 2015
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Sep 30, 2013