Akron Beacon Journal review
Mar. 7th, 2004 07:10 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
foxmonkeyAs usual, some goofy crap tossed in with a few complimentary nods. From the Akron Beacon Journal.
Subpar lyrics mar debut of JC Chasez's solo CD
SCHIZOPHRENIC
JC Chasez
Jive
By Malcolm X Abram
Beacon Journal staff writer
Posted on Sun, Mar. 07, 2004
Whether he likes it or not, JC Chasez, and any other member of *NSync who embarks on a solo career, will always be compared to their former boy band and to Justin Timberlake.
While Timberlake took the surefire route and hired hot R&B/hip hop producers The Neptunes and Timbaland to ensure he'd have some hits, Chasez took the road slightly less traveled, turning his aptly titled Schizophrenic into a mashup of styles from Jamaican rock steady to '80s new wave, pop and contemporary R&B, even enlisting dance music duo Basement Jaxx to provide an extra dose of hipness.
Like Timberlake, Chasez is heavily influenced by Michael Jackson, but he also has a Prince fetish and he sure wants to be sexy. But anyone not already under his thrall will roll their eyes at songs such as All Day Long I Dream About Sex, which sounds like an outtake from '80s dance-pop group Dead or Alive's debut album.
The lead single Some Girls (Dance With Women) is a sparse, slinky, syncopated slice of electronica with Chasez stacking his vocals nicely as he sings silly lines such as "Some girls dance with women, knowing that it gets them attention, I want to get in with them so pass me the drink and let's go."
Elsewhere, Chasez's mission to exude sexiness mars otherwise pleasant material. On Come to Me, he uses the bass line from Corey Hart's Sunglasses at Night and atmospheric synthesized squiggles as foundation for well-arranged harmonies, but removes any sensuality with more bad lyrics, including "When I'm all alone, I lie awake and masturbate, I love to hear the sounds you make." From a woman that may sound intriguing or at least a little titillating, but from a man, it's just creepy. He does a better job on the straight-ahead ballad Dear Goodbye, which shows off the range of his thin but malleable voice.
Chasez's built-in fan base should be satisfied with Schizophrenic, and subpar lyrics aside, Chasez should be commended for sticking his neck out a little and not simply trying duplicate his former bandmate's solo success.
Subpar lyrics mar debut of JC Chasez's solo CD
SCHIZOPHRENIC
JC Chasez
Jive
By Malcolm X Abram
Beacon Journal staff writer
Posted on Sun, Mar. 07, 2004
Whether he likes it or not, JC Chasez, and any other member of *NSync who embarks on a solo career, will always be compared to their former boy band and to Justin Timberlake.
While Timberlake took the surefire route and hired hot R&B/hip hop producers The Neptunes and Timbaland to ensure he'd have some hits, Chasez took the road slightly less traveled, turning his aptly titled Schizophrenic into a mashup of styles from Jamaican rock steady to '80s new wave, pop and contemporary R&B, even enlisting dance music duo Basement Jaxx to provide an extra dose of hipness.
Like Timberlake, Chasez is heavily influenced by Michael Jackson, but he also has a Prince fetish and he sure wants to be sexy. But anyone not already under his thrall will roll their eyes at songs such as All Day Long I Dream About Sex, which sounds like an outtake from '80s dance-pop group Dead or Alive's debut album.
The lead single Some Girls (Dance With Women) is a sparse, slinky, syncopated slice of electronica with Chasez stacking his vocals nicely as he sings silly lines such as "Some girls dance with women, knowing that it gets them attention, I want to get in with them so pass me the drink and let's go."
Elsewhere, Chasez's mission to exude sexiness mars otherwise pleasant material. On Come to Me, he uses the bass line from Corey Hart's Sunglasses at Night and atmospheric synthesized squiggles as foundation for well-arranged harmonies, but removes any sensuality with more bad lyrics, including "When I'm all alone, I lie awake and masturbate, I love to hear the sounds you make." From a woman that may sound intriguing or at least a little titillating, but from a man, it's just creepy. He does a better job on the straight-ahead ballad Dear Goodbye, which shows off the range of his thin but malleable voice.
Chasez's built-in fan base should be satisfied with Schizophrenic, and subpar lyrics aside, Chasez should be commended for sticking his neck out a little and not simply trying duplicate his former bandmate's solo success.
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no subject
Date: 2004-03-07 04:29 am (UTC)I can see why some reviewers don't like all the songs, but to say the man can't sing... I just don't understand that.
no subject
Date: 2004-03-07 05:13 am (UTC)Thin and malleable. I didn't get that, either.
Grrrr.
Date: 2004-03-07 07:20 am (UTC)Grrrr. I bet all of these critics who have criticized his voice would get killed in a singing match against his "thin" voice, but whatever. I guess this is the downside for JC exploring different parts of his voice throughout Schizoprenic, instead of focusing on sounding as rich, clear, and loud as he possibly could on every song on the album. I guess he didn't go the "overachieving vocalist" route on this album, but he did prove to have a uniquely versatile voice, and I hate seeing that talent overlooked.
Re: Grrrr.
Date: 2004-03-07 07:23 am (UTC)Re: Grrrr.
Date: 2004-03-07 07:25 am (UTC)Edit comments! How much would I pay to be able to edit my comments! ::fist of fury::
Re: Grrrr.
Date: 2004-03-07 07:26 am (UTC)Reminds me of that idiot reviewer who said "digitally-enhanced range" or something to that effect, about JC's voice.
@##$&%%%$##$#$!!!!! That one had me seeing red.
no subject
Date: 2004-03-07 08:01 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-03-07 10:43 am (UTC)