Was there anyone who had a better year than Timbaland?While much of the rap community began mourning the death of hip hop, Timbaland was busy using the genre to create chart-topping pop hits.The producer garnered the most attention in 2006 by working wonders for Nelly Furtado and Justin Timberlake.

This is why I expect a lot from the superstar producer, which might be the reason I’m left slightly disappointed by his solo debut. I anticipated an anthology of single-worthy tracks from “Shock Value,” but I got a bevy of filler. Nevertheless, there are a few diamonds in the rough that make up for the less remarkable throwaways.

Timbaland covers all of his bases swaying from disco to rock to pop, employing some of the most popular names from each genre.

The opening track samples Nina Simone’s “Sinnerman” but it doesn’t do much for the repetitive “Oh Timbaland.” Nelly Furtado sounds bored throughout “Give It To Me,” which also features Justin Timberlake in a “blink and you’ll miss it” cameo.

It isn’t until we get to “Release” and “The Way I Are” that we hear the remanants of Justin Timberlake’s “Future Sex/Lovesounds.” The futuristic dance-funk sound that Timbaland has mastered hasn’t gotten old just yet. “Release” sounds almost like another version of “SexyBack” while “The Way I Are” mixes Salt ‘N Peppa’s “Push It” with Timberlake’s “My Love.”

“Bounce” brings forth the nasty with a slow, drowsy tempo like the “screwed & chopped” sound of Southern hip hop. The song also features Missy Elliot and Timberlake in full-on freak mode. It sounds like something you would hear in some dark, futuristic club filled with people decked out in black leather.

The album continues on with several forgettable mid-tempo songs that include “Miscommunication,” and “Scream.” It isn’t until you get to “Bombay” that Timbaland gets eclectic with sitars, and snake-like vocals that meander through his signature jungle rhythm.

“Throw It On Me” then grabs a hold of you and jolts you into dance-rock submission. The Hives’ lead singer Pele Almqvist’s howling vocals are thrown against a layer of electric guitar. The song suffers from being too short, though. It left me wanting a little more.

Timbaland covers his emo rock base by enlisting Fall Out Boy in “One & Only.” I admire that the band has been willing to dip their toes into the hip hop world. Their recent remix with Kanye West was better than I had expected. Sadly, the new Timbaland collaboration doesn’t sound much like a joint effort at all.

Unlike “Throw It On Me,” it’s a Fall Out Boy track with Timbaland on guest vocals. The song is almost identical to Fall Out Boy’s “Dance Dance” and had they given Timbaland the reigns, it might have been a far superior effort.

The best song on the album is Timbaland’s collaboration with She Wants Revenge on “Time.” The band’s new wave sound meshes well with Timbaland’s hip hop rhythms. The rap verses and drearily sung chorus complement eachother perfectly. The dark, steady flow and haunting guitar is mesmorizing. It makes me wish the rest of the album was like this.

There’s little that shocks in “Shock Value,” but it’s colorful array of genre-bending sounds and superstar guest appearances will take this debut far. And whether each track works or not, one thing is for sure, Timbaland is still on top.

 Posted by Crystal

I’ve been avoiding the Mika album “Life In Cartoon Motion” for a while now. It probably might be because every music site and self-proclaimed music authority keeps thrusting the Mika buzz in my face everywhere I go. The British singer-songwriter has been hailed, along with Amy Winehouse and Lily Allen, as the “next big thing on both sides of the pond.” That label, however, has lost all credibility with me. Seriously, how many times does that actually work out? I was weary of Mika because of this. But after so much hype, I finally decided to take the bait.

All I knew of the British singer/songwriter was the fact that he resembled John Mayer, only slightly better looking. I expected something James Blunt-ish or Damien Rice-like from the shaggy singer–what I got was a colorful mix of Freddie Mercury, Scissor Sisters and The Beatles.  But even if the record is a refreshing disco/pop/funk infused-romp, at times, it feels almost like a sugary pop overload. It’s best consumed in small doses.

The flamboyant singer’s release brings us campy, over-the-top sounds that will either make you want to clap your hands and sing along or shoot yourself.  So when Mika sings “Do I attract you? Do I repulse you?” in the rousing “Grace Kelly,” it takes on a different meaning. He’s taken the perkiest elements of his biggest influences and made them his own. Whether that’s a good or bad thing, is up to you. Songs like “Grace Kelly,”where he mentions becoming Freddie Mercury, are reminiscent of Mercury’s signature crooning.  And it’s also impossible to not think of Queen’s “Fat Bottomed Girls” when listening to “Big Girl (You Are Beautiful).”  

His best material comes in his low-key, dance-rock effort ”Ring Ring” and the club-friendly “Relax (Take It Easy),” which is almost identical to Cutting Crew’s “I Just Died in Your Arms.” Both of these songs are more easily digestible than the overtly animated “Love Today” and “Lollipop.”  Complete with handclaps, Mika’s overbearing falsetto, horns and a children’s choir, “Lollipop” almost sounds like a commercial jingle for Blowpops. It might give you a cavity on your first listen.

It’s on tracks like “My Interpretation” and “Erase” that Mika falls short. His ballads are straight from the Robbie Williams school of music, only Williams’ efforts are bigger and better. I found myself wanting to skip past the boring ballads and on to the more upbeat songs like “Billy Brown,” a tune that blatantly borrows from The Monkees “Daydream Believer” and The Beatles’ “Penny Lane.”

Like his album’s cover art, “Life in Cartoon Motion,” is a vivid array of musical colors. In a world so overwrought with heavy issues, Mika might be that bright ray of sunshine it needs, but keep in mind, you might want to wear shades.

Posted by Crystal