Times Colonist Schizo review
(3/9/04) Mike Devlin Times Colonist (thanks charlidos!)


JC Chasez
Schizophrenic (Jive/Zomba)
Rating 3 1/2

Following in the red-hot footsteps of friend and 'NSYNC bandmate Justin Timberlake, JC Chasez stakes out his own, slightly skewed territory with Schizophrenic.

As its title implies, the 17-track effort is a scattershot affair that rarely sticks to one vision. And given that, above everything else, Schizophrenic is the debut from a former teen pop idol, the stakes are high for Chasez to deliver.

Chasez's debut is a quiet revelation -- artsy in places, shambles in others, but a pop-tastic joy from beginning to end. Schizophrenic is at its best when Chasez makes the house quake like Prince. But when he brings the lights down low and gets intimate on Build My World, the results are laughable.

The former Mickey Mouse Club member touches on funk, rock and dance music here, styles he's more than capable of handling. Sure, he proved smart in hiring club gurus Basement Jaxx for help, but the jury is in: Chasez can not only sing and dance, but he can apparently write, too. Bring on the next 'NSYNC leftover.

JC Takes Cover from Cover
(3/8/04) Joal Ryan E!

Justin Timberlake suffered a wardrobe malfunction. JC Chasez is suffering what could be called a titular malfunction.

Timberlake's fellow 'N Syncer is in so-sorry mode after a leading advocate of the schizophrenic took offense to the title of Chasez's just-released solo album. The one called Schizophrenic.

For the record, the cover art--depicting a mussy-haired Chasez in a straight jacket--didn't go over too big with Bill MacPhee, either.

In a statement Monday, MacPhee, publisher of Schizophrenia Digest, and a diagnosed schizophrenic, called Chasez's appropriation of the brain disorder a misappropriation, and criticized his record label, Jive.

"Through the album title and cover image, [Jive and its parent company, BMG Zomba] have ignored the U.S. Surgeon General's call on the entertainment industry to help eliminate stigma to address the public health crisis that exists," MacPhee said.

Through his rep, Chasez issued a statement of his own.

"I apologize to anyone I may have offended with the title and cover of my album," Chasez said. "I am truly sorry if I've upset anyone."

According to Jive, however, neither the offending title nor cover art will be altered. The album went on sale, as is, on Feb. 24.

In interviews, Chasez has repeatedly said "schizophrenic" was meant to reflect the album's mix of styles. On Monday, he explained he was just taking "artistic license" with the term.

In a recent issue of Britain's Popstar! magazine, Chasez's license allowed him to conduct an interview with himself--at least that's the way the piece was headlined.

Chasez isn't the first person to use "schizophrenic" when "multiple personality disorder" might be the more accurate, if not less potentially offensive, choice. ("My Prince tribute album," of course, would be the most accurate, least offensive option.)

As Schizophrenia Digest's official site says, the disease is a brain disorder, typically striking men and women in their 20s or teen years, that has "nothing to do with 'split personality' or 'multiple personality.'"

In his statement, Chasez acknowledged schizophrenia as a "serious illness," but pointed out that he was merely going by the book--the Merriam-Webster dictionary--that defines schizophrenia, in part, as a noun meaning "contradictory or antagonistic qualities or attitudes."

"It was this meaning of the word that I was using to describe my work," Chasez said.

Chasez, meanwhile, also isn't the first showbiz type to come under fire for reputedly trivializing a mental disorder.

In its latest "Stigmabuster Alert" newsletter, the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill rips into NBC daytime soap Passions for consigning one of its characters to the "loony bin." The group also, natch, rips in Chasez's album, slamming it as "irresponsible and outrageous."

The controversy is the latest to challenge Chasez's fledgling solo career.

In February, the break-out boybander was booted from the halftime show lineup at the NFL Pro Bowl. The gridiron folks, still touchy one week after Timberlake's bodice-ripping antics with Janet Jackson at the Super Bowl, decided Chasez's proposed song choices (either "Some Girls [Dance With Women]" or "Blowin' Me Up [With Her Love]") were too frisky for the post-wardrobe malfunction world.

Of potentially even more concern to Chasez: Sales. Schizophenic debuted on last week's album charts in 17th place, with a so-so 52,000 copies sold. By comparison, Timberlake's solo starter, Justified, moved 439,000 copies in its debut week in 2002.

Common Sense Review: Schizo
(3/8/04) Kathi Kamen Goldmark Common Sense Media (thanks Eva!)

3 out of 5 stars (rating for teens)

SCHIZOPHRENIC is appropriately named, as it seems to express multiple musical personalities.

NSYNC fans will discover that boy band graduates (or at least this one) think about sex -- a lot! Aside from that potential surprise, mileage will vary; this CD will be fine for some teens; perhaps a little much for others. Take a look at the lyrics on a site like lyrics.com and decide if this CD is okay for your teen. Those accustomed to explicit content will find JC Chasez refreshingly tame.

The first track on SCHIZOPHRENIC, "Some Girls (Dance With Women)," is a terrific dance song with a homoerotic twist: the girls are all dancing together and this guy wants to join the fun. It's sexy with a refreshing shot of longing. The rest of the CD is sexy too, with a couple of pretty explicit moments here and there. This may come as a surprise to underage NSYNC fans who expect a sappier brand of romantic pop from the boy band veteran.

Justin Timberlake was the "cute one" in NSYNC, but JC Chavez makes an effort to maintain his "hot one" persona on SCHIZOPHRENIC with some very sexy lyrics. He also puts on a lively and very danceable show with energetic rhythm tracks and a "let's not take ourselves too seriously" sense of fun. The strongest tracks are the most danceable, featuring dynamic musicianship and enthusiastic vocal performances.

SCHIZOPHRENIC may not be the most exciting or innovative album of the year, but it reveals the more mature, evolving side of a beloved boy-band member's personality, and it's a lot of fun for older teens.

Sexual Content: Very sexually suggestive, occasionally explicit.
Violence: No violence.
Language: No offensive language.
Drug/Alcohol/Tobacco: A couple of very mild references to drinking.
Commercialism: "Everything You Want" is a commentary on materialism, from one who's been there.
Social Behavior(Tolerance/Diversity/Racism): JC is so into himself (and his lover of the moment) that he has no time to worry about this stuff.

Pitchfork Media Review: 'Plug It In'
(3/8/04) Nick Sylvester Pitchfork Media

Basement Jaxx [ft. JC Chasez]: "Plug It In"

The UK-friendly "Lucky Star" was a solid choice for the first single off Basement Jaxx's Kish Kash, but in my mind doesn't stand a chance against the record's two great dance numbers, "Right Here's the Spot" and the newly released second single, "Plug It In". Part of me can't help but view "Plug It In" as much more of an American dance track, and it should put Basement Jaxx among steady vinyl pulls at the clubs-- at the least more so than "Lucky Star" did.

Much like the album it's culled from, "Plug It In" is extremely dense. Every moment is packed with nine or ten synthlines, whistles, vocal cut-ups (some even from other Kish Kash songs), horn hits, auxiliary percussion, and a good share of hooky early-90s Michael Jacksonisms that manage never to recall the more popular recent work of JC Chasez's former bandmate. Yet, for all this tomfoolery, Basement Jaxx's bass and drum programming keeps everything in line and everyone dancing-- which is really dance music's only responsibility-- and provides enough of a diversion for the floor to keep the magic of "Plug It In" from exhausting itself, if that were even a possibility.