On Friday, Justin Timberlake released his highly anticipated fifth studio album, Man of the Woods. After initially teasing a countryesque album, the 16-track offering actually sees JT channel a fusion of RnB, pop, electronica and funk in addition to a little country vibe. The singer also teams up with long-term collaborators Timbaland and The Neptunes for production duties.
The album has received mixed reviews from critics and fans alike, however, there are definitely some gems to be found within Man of the Woods. Whilst we think you should definitely give the whole album a go, we’ve pin pointed five songs in particular which you should listen to immediately.
‘Say Something’ featuring Chris Stapleton
‘Say Something’ was the third track to be unveiled from Man of the Woods and sees Justin team up with country artist Chris Stapleton. After first releasing two electro-funk/RnB offerings from Man of the Woods (‘Filthy’ and ‘Supplies’), ‘Say Something’ is a breath of fresh air and remains one of our favourites after listening to the album in its entirety. We’re totally in love with the song’s anthemic vibe.
‘Morning Light’ featuring Alicia Keys
‘Morning Light’ is the only other collaboration on Man of the Woods, with Justin teaming up with RnB star Alicia Keys. The soulful and funky offering is one of the album’s highlights and sees Justin and Alicia pay tribute to their respective other halves, Jessica Biel and Swizz Beats.
‘Breeze Off The Pond’
‘Breeze Off The Pond’ has an old-school RnB vibe and once again pays tribute to JT’s wife, Jessica. The singer is at one with nature during the lyrics, using the elements of the natural world to describe how strong his relationship with his wife is.
‘Higher Higher’
‘Higher Higher’ has a slick and funky vibe to it, and emphasises how important love is to Justin. Whilst he acknowledges that both success and money are cool, nothing compares to the feeling of loving his ‘special’ one.
‘Man of the Woods’
The album’s title track once again is an ode to his wife and fuses a mixture of sounds to create an unusual beat. In terms of going back to his Tennessee roots, ‘Man of the Woods’ is one of the most authentic tracks on the album. We also love the fun music video which dropped on Friday.