Timbaland's Shock Value
Timbaland's new album, Shock Value, received poor reviews. Despite knowing this, I had a good first impression and decided to buy it anyway. But on about 5 listens through, I can see what the reviewers were thinking. The album as a whole lacks depth, sincerity--heart! Many of the songs have good beats, yes. Most have interesting beginnings. But there are zero songs that portray any emotion other than pride, lust or anger. I'm not initiated into the "rap" world because usually I get so offended at the many swears and treatment of women that I can't enjoy the "skillz" of the artists. Timbaland is sort of different because he's crossed over into the pop world. I don' t know about the rap world, but In the pop world albums have some sincere songs, and some upbeat songs. An album may have a theme, but (should) also has variety. The soft songs help put the hard songs in context and the hard songs help the soft songs from being too cheesy. Timbaland does not have any soft songs which just makes him sound like a heartless bastard. By the end of 17 songs I'm sick of him. It doesn't matter how skilled he is. I don't want to listen to a guy who does't care about anything except himself. Perhaps "The Way I Are" is supposed to be sweet? It started out promising and of all the songs comes the closest. I wonder if Timbaland was trying here but just didn't have what it took to make an actually romantic song. I really tried to let Timbaland make me think it was supposed to be sweet. But its just another song about booty call. On another note, I still heartily enjoy about 5 or 6 of the songs. This is only a third of the songs however. I guess I expected more from Timbaland. At first I thought that the reviewers had expectations so high that they were impossible to meet. I mean it is Timbaland! But now I agree with them. Their expectations were not too high. I think Timbaland's were. He focused so much on being "Timbaland!!!!!" and forgot to include the most important thing--his heart..