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| 2/27/04 |
Detroit News Review: Schizophrenic An expatriate of an extremely successful, five-member bubble gum group breaking off on his own and describing his sound as “schizo.” Where have we heard that before? Oh yeah, on ex-Spice Girl Geri Halliwell’s completely forgettable “Schizophonic,” which killed the career of the one-time Ginger Spice. *NSYNC’s JC Chasez fares better with his solo debut, “Schizophrenic,” which, despite laughable lyrics such as “lazy days I’m in a hazy phase of watching countless ways in which my life goes crazy,” is a cut above standard boy-band solo fare. While “Schizophrenic” — named for its spastic genre-hopping, from faux-funk (“If You Were My Girl”) to Eurotrash dance (“All Day Long I Dream About Sex”) to puppy love balladry (“Dear Goodbye”) — falls short of Justin Timberlake’s “Justified” benchmark, it is more accomplished than solo efforts from the Backstreet Boys’ Nick Carter and 98 Degrees’ Nick Lachey. That’s because Chasez — who’s taken a page out of Jordan Knight’s playbook by reinventing himself as a sex-obsessed freak — is willing to take musical risks, settling into a sound that’s full of carnival chaos, stuttered hand claps and furious foot stomps. In that respect, “Schizophrenic” is more adventurous than the comparatively predictable “Justified,” but that’s beside the point. What we need is a “Rock Your Body,” and there’s none of that here. GRADE: B-
Chasez invests in Steiner Studios Putting a post-millennial spin on the old "I liked the product so much, I bought the company!" routine, JC Chasez has decided to help further his career by investing 150 grand in a company that's building a new movie studio in Brooklyn, New York. The scruffy 'N Syncer became proud part-owner of Steiner Studios because, as he told the New York Post, "I want to support bringing the arts back to New York." While it's nice to know that the little guy can find his way up from Orlando, we're guessing he might change his mind when he finds out the Steiner folk aren't interested in doing a sequel to Chasez's '93 classic Emerald Cove . . .
Timberlake lacks the Thriller instinct For the cover of its 2003 year-end issue, Rolling Stone dubbed Justin Timberlake the "new King of Pop." Timberlake, the article maintained, successfully reshaped his public persona as "just a boy-band star," and, with his solo debut, "Justified," proved himself more than "just a hunky white boy emulating Michael Jackson." In anointing Timberlake the "new King of Pop," the implication, of course is that the young singer is this generation's Jackson - which, regardless of how you may feel about Jackson or Timberlake, is so wrong-headed, it's utterly laughable. Granted, Jackson was a self-crowned King of Pop. Still, the ridiculed title stuck because it was impossible to argue even with the self-aggrandizing proclamations of a man who once, indisputably, was the biggest pop star in the world. Exactly what has Timberlake achieved to deserve consideration as the rightful heir to such pop supremacy? That Timberlake has been allowed a Houdini-like escape from major criticism despite his prominent role in Janet Jackson's Super Bowl "wardrobe malfunction," speaks to just how desperately the music industry may be looking for a Great White Hope to counter the more troublesome likes of 50 Cent and Eminem. Sure, Timberlake now has two Grammys, and there's still an impression the award instantly bestows artistic validation. But a few shiny trinkets does not an artist make. So far, Timberlake's greatest talent has been distancing himself from his original incarnation as a blonde-haired dancing marionette in 'N Sync by mimicking the R&B icons he so slavishly admires. In 2002, his solo debut performance at the MTV Video Music Awards singing "Like I Love You," was vintage-era Michael Jackson, but without a scintilla of originality. When "Justified" was released a few months later, the hits "Like I Love You," and "Cry Me a River" worked mainly because of the prodigious knob-twiddling by the Neptunes and Timbaland, respectively. Perhaps weary of the Jackson comparisons, Timberlake has skipped onto aping another legend - the great Stevie Wonder. At the Grammy telecast, Timberlake plopped himself behind a keyboard on a rotating pedestal to perform "Senorita." "The guy's a star, there's no point in trying to deny that anymore, if anyone was still thinking to do so," wrote Kurt Loder in his MTV.com Grammy wrap-up. "But he really is funky, too, and swaying away behind an electric piano almost like Wonder himself, he's undeniably a real musician." That's what Timberlake wants us to think. Yet except for a chord here and there, there was no indication the guy can really play keyboards. (The real music was supplied by jazz trumpeter Arturo Sandoval and a group of backing musicians, including two keyboard players.) When Wonder was Timberlake's age, he was writing, producing, arranging, and playing virtually every instrument on such masterpieces as "Music of My Mind" and "Talking Book," and was beginning arguably the greatest creative decade ever for a solo artist. For all his efforts, Timberlake has no musical identity, and even with a better team behind him, he's still too studied and manufactured. Timberlake can sing, but his voice lacks any genuine depth or emotion. He's a hard-working performer, but he's also like the smartest kid in the class who mostly succeeds by memorizing his lessons without having any real concept as to what it all means. There's nothing wrong with admiring and drawing inspiration from great artists, but the key is bringing an added level of personal artistry. And unless Timberlake can discern the difference, the so-called "new King of Pop" will never be more than a pretender to the throne.
He makes the most of limited tools Review: Forget Justin's "Justified" - in a battle of debuts, fellow 'N Sync-er JC Chasez's steamy "Schizophrenic" wins hands down. JC Chasez, "Schizophrenic" (Jive) - Do not make the mistake, as I initially did, of dismissing this second solo 'N Sync-er as the poor man's Justin Timberlake, an also-ran who will never achieve the same superstar heights. Chasez very well may not, as he lacks JT's charm and vocal skill; by comparison, he teems with affectations. But to presume his work is minor simply because it's struggling for attention in Timberlake's shadow is foolish. Frankly, in a battle between the debuts, "Schizophrenic" would win hands down. Forget about Justin being the new Jacko, an overstatement based solely on a strong falsetto and infectious hits that sound like "Off the Wall" outtakes. Justin is actually the new George Michael, right down to the facial hair - and, like JC, right now he's more sex symbol than serious artist. What Justin lacks, however, is Michael's variety, something JC strives for at every turn. Remember how stylistically jumbled Michael's "Faith" album was? That's how "Schizophrenic" is, leaping from hard club grooves to lascivious Jamiroquai funk and Lenny Kravitz rock, from fine slices of reggae to handclaps-and- acoustic-guitar bits and his own spin on Jacko, which veers closer to "Dirty Diana" than "Rock With You." What's more, as suggested by several wicked cuts - the Prince homage "100 Ways," the Basement Jaxx-produced "Shake It" and the fantastic new-wave revivalism of "All Day Long I Dream About Sex," sure to be cribbed to the hilt - Chasez's tunes are infinitely steamier than Timberlake's; they make "Rock Your Body" seem about as randy as "I Want to Hold Your Hand," despite their banal lyrics. Most remarkable, though, is Chasez's consistency. Even when he's mired in a sappy ballad he can't really sing, he's got enough melodic twists to keep it interesting. No doubt he's an inch-deep poseur, and I bet he can't pull this off twice. But cut-for-cut, his debut is one of the most sheerly entertaining pop albums in a long while. Grade: B+
The G Wiz Kid ...Post: You've written songs for Justin Timberlake. How do you feel about a white kid using the same influences as you and being hailed as a savior of R&B? Why are you starting to laugh? Ginuwine: You can't argue with Justin's album sales. If you just look at that, he is saving R&B. The guy is a great entertainer, but he has been influenced by the same artists as me and other R&B singers. I hate to say it, but because he's white, he gets a lot of attention for singing R&B. Look at the New Kids on the Block, the Back Street Boys and *NSYNC . . . all those boy bands happened because of New Edition...
Timberlake Gets Justified at Private Show Yes, that was Justin Timberlake playing to a crowd of just a couple hundred people last night on the rooftop of the Hyatt Hotel in West Hollywood. And that was his 'N Sync bandmate Lance Bass in the room, chatting up none other than Justin's future movie co-star Kevin Spacey. The event — an hour-long show with Justin and his band — was sponsored by Guess? Jeans. I have no idea why, but it was such a hot ticket that when we finally got inside, we were just about the only press there. Who did we find rocking their bodies? A very pregnant Courteney Cox Arquette, plus actors Aaron Eckhart, David Spade, Daryl Hannah and Dylan McDermott. "In America" director Jim Sheridan showed up too late and just gave up. But inside it was a different story when I finally got to the bar for a soda and found the trifecta of the night negotiating for drinks. That would be the three, the only — Paris Hilton, sister Nicky, and Nicole Ritchie. What the heck, right? Did you think they'd be home studying? No sign of Cameron Diaz, by the way. Or Britney what's-her-name. Justin knows how to put on a show, covering his own hits and trying out the Rolling Stones' "Miss You." Justin does not shy away from a good falsetto note, which is brave of any guy who's ever heard the Stylistics. Even Lance was dancing away with abandon, and with a very young lady he declined to describe as his girlfriend. He did concede that there would be a new 'N Sync album in 2005, after Justin finishes his role in the movie "Edison" and a new solo album. "We just have to wait for him," said Lance, which was such a generous and reasonable observation I realized it will work out just fine. If only Lance hated Justin, it would have made a much better story!
Amazon.com Schizo Review
Momma Timberlake Breaks Her Silence Justin Timberlake's mom, Lynn Harless, in her first interview since the Super Bowl "wardrobe malfunction," told Access the incident was all just a big mistake. "We were shocked, everybody was shocked," said Harless. Harless, who was present for the Super Bowl flashdance in Houston, said that she and her family were stunned at what occurred at the end of Timberlake's performance. "Not shocked like 'I can't believe he did that,' shocked like 'I can't believe that happened,' because it happened to him, just like it happened to us, so we were all just shocked,' she said. When asked how Timberlake himself felt about the incident, the pop star's mom said that, "He was stunned and embarrassed too, so he didn't know what to say." Access was with Lynn as she got primped and pampered at the posh Le Meridian Hotel in Beverly Hills for Justin's Vanity Fair Oscar party. Harless, who will be on hand when Timberlake performs, said she doesn't think that this performance will make the airwaves. "I don't think so," she said with a laugh. "I don't think we are going to get broadcast this time. " When asked what her role in the lavish party will be, Harless says that, as always, she will be busy at work behind the scenes. "I'm the support system," she said. "I'm the one who has to run and do all the things while he's standing there being cute." Meanwhile, Justin's halftime Super Bowl co-offender, Janet Jackson, talks openly in April's Ebony Magazine. The pop superstar sticks to her guns in the article, saying: "It was not intentional. It was a costume accident. It was an accident. That was basically it.
JC Chasez: playing his options JC Chasez has titled his debut solo album "Schizophrenic" as a tip-off to the variety of musical styles he dabbles in. But if there's anything you'd think might be driving the once-and-future 'N Sync heartthrob a little crazy these days, it'd be the way he's being presented in the media. According to Blender magazine, Chasez was "long overshadowed by male ingenue Justin Timberlake" in their mega-popular boy band. Entertainment Weekly refers to him "studying under -- and nabbing the occasional lead vocal from -- undeniable alpha frontman Justin Timberlake." "Pity the poor second banana," begins a review of "Schizophrenic" in Time Out. Certainly from today's vantage point -- with Timberlake having earned multiplatinum sales, a major Grammy nomination and respect as a R&B star -- Chasez does look like the junior partner among 'N Sync's lead singers. And yes, Timberlake got a bit more attention as the youngest member of that band (seeming, therefore, a little more like a pop prodigy), then became a gossip-column celebrity through his relationship with Britney Spears. But Chasez (pronounced Sha-SAY) and Timberlake shared the spotlight and lead vocal chores pretty much evenly, and to judge from the crowd response at the group's concerts in Portland, the two were equal in the hearts of their fans. But in pop culture, perception becomes reality. So Chasez probably does have more of an uphill battle to establish his solo identity than his bandmate did. The inevitable comparisons are tougher still because Timberlake's album "Justified" really is good, and the relaxed assurance with which he's performed in high-profile TV shows and events has won over many boy-band naysayers. "Schizophrenic" can't match the cocoon-busting vibrancy of "Justified," but it's a worthy effort all the same. Instead of the white-chocolate confections of Timberlake's dance-floor-primed R&B, Chasez offers up a grab bag of techno, rock, Latin, reggae and new wave flavors without quite taking his eye off the pop mainstream prize. Timberlake emulated and updated "Off the Wall"-era Michael Jackson; Chasez seems more inspired by Prince circa "Purple Rain," which is a more challenging model to work with. That influence is clearest in "100 Ways," which opens with a surf-twang guitar riff, then builds into a jittery groove reminiscent of "U Got the Look." Then he fills in the blueprint -- the breathy sing-speak lead; the cooing, androgynous backing vocals; the falsetto verse for emphasis; the title's trophy-mentality celebration of sex ("Dripped through the hallways 'cause we started in the shower/We didn't finish till we hit the kitchen counter"). You can practically see him wearing high heels and a purple coat while recording. The temptation to play spot-the-influence is strong, though Chasez's core audience may not be old enough to recall all the references. His vocal phrasing in "Mercy" owes a debt to Stevie Wonder -- but then, doesn't everybody? "If You Were My Girl" suggests a pastiche of 1970s rock and soul as filtered through Lenny Kravitz. "Everything You Want" apes the dreamy pop-reggae approach of later Police. The vintage synthesizers whooshing through "All Day Long I Dream About Sex" conjure up the ghost of Gary Numan. A few of the nods are more explicit. The B.T. Express hit "Do It ('Til You're Satisfied") gets sampled in the Basement Jaxx track "Shake It," the only tune on the album Chasez didn't help write. "One Night Stand" quotes the hook from, appropriately, Donna Summer's disco-seduction classic "I Feel Love." The synth-bass intro to "Come to Me" will make you think of Eurythmics' "Sweet Dreams," but it's really copped from Corey Hart's derivative "Sunglasses at Night." But to Chasez's credit, all the jukebox flashbacks come together into a reasonably cohesive whole. And although he has no instantly recognizable vocal style, he handles the shifting needs of these songs with aplomb, especially on the lovely ballads "Build My World" and "Dear Goodbye," which give a mature cast to the old boy-band croon. The production -- mostly by either Riprock 'n' Alex G or Robb Boldt, with assists from Chasez throughout -- doesn't always escape the kind of airlessly manufactured feel of 'N Sync's records, but it does the job by and large. And even if he doesn't hit as big as Timberlake, there's still another 'N Sync album to look forward to. JC Chasez isn't really schizophrenic; he just has options.
Out of Sync Everyone who made it out of the late-'90s bubblegum-pop invasion and lived to tell about it knows that boy bands have a formula. There's the cute young guy, the lovable shy guy, the mothers' favorite, the sketchy old guy and the token hottie. In 'N Sync, the mother of all bubblegum boy bands, J.C. Chasez was that token hottie, and he pretty much always played second fiddle to his fellow former Mousketeer, Justin Timberlake. With Schizophrenic, Chasez's solo disc, not much has changed; Chasez is still standing in Timberlake's shadow, and there's still a lot of formulaic stuff here. Chasez is releasing his solo album more than a year after Timberlake's rave-earning solo debut, and while the Grammy-winning Justified served up sophisticated musical and lyrical departures from 'N Sync's teen-themed tunes, Schizophrenic just showcases Chasez's willingness to sing about sex in a less euphemistic way than he did with a band geared toward a younger audience. Chasez's label, Jive Records, is touting him as the next Prince (because, if Timberlake's solo style is going to be compared to Michael Jackson's brand of pop, Chasez better have a big-name influence, too, right?). But with songs like the disc's first single, Some Girls (Dance With Women), and the not-so-tongue-in-cheek All Day Long (I Dream About Sex), Chasez comes off less like the sarcastic, edgy Prince and more like any frat guy with access to a synthesizer. If Chasez's goal was to put out a record with lots of discordant, dance-ready tracks with an emphasis on electronica and hip-pop sounds, he's done a decent job. He has teamed with lesser-known but critically respectable producers such as Riprock 'N' Alex G and Basement Jaxx to churn out some fairly catchy hooks built to work on dance floors where the din will drown out the less-than-stellar lyrics. Of course, there are also a few of the gooey ballads requisite of a recovering boy-bander. Tracks such as the saccharine Dear Goodbye get lost among the shockers and seem out of place on a record intended for party play. In the grand scheme of pop-to-rock transition albums, Schizophrenic is a formulaic masterpiece. The album title is fitting, because there's no one style that holds things together; track styles jump haphazardly among reggae, R&B and electronica with no purpose in sight. Chasez also adheres to the MTV formula: Racy themes plus lyrics that lend themselves to videos featuring scantily clad dancers equals guaranteed airplay. So, though Chasez would definitely benefit from a lesson or two in the art of innuendo, Schizophrenic will ultimately do well because of Chasez's risky willingness to fit his solo debut into a standardized template. Schizophrenic
The boy gets outta 'Sync with debut solo JC CHASEZ JC Chasez is in the unenviable position of trying to make it solo after serving as a secondary member of a famous boy band at a time when boy bands are out. (Raise your hand if you bought Backstreet Boy Nick Carter's solo CD last year. Not too many hands out there.) Fellow 'N Syncer Justin Timberlake pulled off the difficult feat last year in a major way, scoring a hit album, two Grammys, and enough headline ink to raise the price of newsprint. Chasez isn't likely to score quite so well, lacking Timberlake's ''it'' factor, but scoring is on his mind on Schizophrenic. Chasez references sex endlessly on his CD. Solo sex, three-way sex, imaginary sex. There's more sex here than in an episode of Sex in the City but it's witless and trite. Ignore the juvenile lyrics, though, and Schizophrenic is an often entertaining listen. The music, which hops around stylistically thanks to production work from Basement Jaxx, Riprock 'n' Alex G, Robb Boldt and Chasez (who also cowrote most of the material), pulses with grabby hooks and works on the dance floor as well as on the Discman. The first single, the slinky dance number Some Girls (Dance With Women) never takes off like it should, but the simplistic and insistent beat of All Day Long I Dream About Sex is impossible to shake. Also good: the '80s Prince-like dance-rocker 100 Ways and Come to Me which samples Corey Hart's distinctive 1984 hit Sunglasses at Night. With Chasez's clenched-throat delivery, She Got Me sounds even more like a Bad-era Michael Jackson impersonation than Timberlake's Jackson obsession on Justified. Chasez may not be an original, but he can sing as well as Timberlake. Sometimes better. His album isn't a pop classic by any stretch (at 76 minutes, it's too long) but it is perfectly acceptable when you are in need of an upbeat pop fix and, like Timberlake's Justified, its ratio of keepers versus clunkers tops any 'N Sync CD.
Singer focuses on first solo CD after snub by NFL Justin Timberlake took on the onus of being the first ' N Sync member to do a solo album. But he did it successfully, which puts some pressure on bandmate (and former "Mickey Mouse Club" co-star) JC Chasez and his just-released "Schizophrenic" (Jive). But Chasez says he's not holding himself up to Timberlake's standards. "Justin's a Grammy Award winner now. He's a superstar," Chasez says. "My goal with this record is just to have a successful record. I feel like I made a really good record, and I'm proud of what I've done. I can't do much more than that." Timberlake might have helped Chasez generate the wrong kind of awareness, however. Chasez was slated to perform at halftime of the NFL's Pro Bowl game Feb. 8 but was pulled after Timberlake's "wardrobe malfunction" with Janet Jackson. The NFL said it feared that some of Chasez's lyrics including the single "Some Girls (Dance With Women)" were a bit too racy. Chasez, however, isn't worried about a backlash against that and other sexually focused songs on "Schizophrenic." "I think that, to be honest with you, it's an election year, and everyone's overreacting a little bit," he says. "Some of the greatest songs of all time have sexual innuendoes in them, as far back as Led Zeppelin going, I got a whole lotta love, every inch of my love . . .' "I think you've got to trust people to make their own decisions on what they want to listen to. I'm not really shaking in my boots about whether my [music] is gonna pass or not."
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Review JC CHASEZ So what do the other guys in 'N Sync do now that Justin's established himself as both a superstar and critic's darling in the same breath? For JC Chasez, the answer is obvious. Follow his lead. But Chasez hits the dance floor stumbling on the aptly titled "Schizophrenic." "Some Girls (Dance With Women)" tries too hard to channel the eccentric vibe that feels so natural when the Neptunes do it. And Chasez himself tries way too hard to prove that, unlike Timberlake, he doesn't need the Neptunes or anyone helping him out. He co-writes all but one track here and co-produces several. But the weird thing is, the album as a whole is pretty good. For what it is. He may sound lost on the edgier cuts, especially on "Some Girls" and "Blowin' Me Up (With Her Love)," in which he slips into a British accent while delivering tired hip-hop street slang, but he's much more at home on the numbers that draw on his musical youth -- from "She Got Me," a slinky little cut that finds him hitting the clubs in a letterman's jacket from the Stevie Wonder school of funk, to "Build My World," a yearning ballad that somehow comes on like a cross between Joe Jackson's "Night and Day" and Paul Young belting out another great lost Hall and Oates song. Chasez does a convincing Purple Rain-dance on "100 Ways," complete with distorted electric guitar and a quirky falsetto delivery, and puts an infectious electro-funk spin on Robert Plant's orgasmic wailing from "Whole Lotta Love" -- we're talkin' note for note -- on "If You Were My Girl." It's shameless, really. But charmingly so. And that goes double for the ridiculous synth-pop revival of "All Day Long I Dream About Sex," a track that's guaranteed to spin you right round, baby, right round like a record. Sadly, there are times when even blatant cribbing from the past can feel a little played out. Donna Summer's "I Feel Love" has never sounded so in need of a marital aid, while "Something Special" is anything but as it desperately tries to rekindle the spark George Michael lit with "Faith." And Corey Hart??!! Who looks to Corey Hart for inspiration? Give Chasez some credit, though. He's truly up for anything -- anything old, in particular. And unlike several other aging teen-pop idols we could name if so inclined, the guy can really sing. |
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