JC in the shadow of Justin
(3/13/04) DARRYL STERDAN Winnipeg Sun (thanks Eva!)

SCHIZOPHRENIC
JC Chasez
(Jive/BMG)

Backstreet Boys? 98 Degrees? O-Town? Honestly, we had to think for a second to recall which interchangable boy band JC Chasez once called home -- 'N Sync.

Hey, it's not our fault they all sounded alike. Or that Chasez never managed to steal the spotlight away from Justin Timberlake -- and still seems to be living in his shadow on his debut solo album Schizophrenic.

Like JT, the 27-year-old JC is apparently out to make the leap from teen-pop heartthrob to adult chart-topper by repositioning himself as some sort of happenin', dance-club sex monster. To that end, he recruits the now-mandatory list of hip trackmasters -- Rockwilder, Basement Jaxx, and so on -- to help him craft a raft of priapic, pelvis-pumpin' party-pop. And to his credit, he eschews Justin's Jacko fixation in favour of a more varied approach that justifies the album's title.

Some of these 17 tracks recall the nasty sex-funk of Prince; others the cartoon freakiness of OutKast or George Clinton. Most come packing some seriously funky techno-grooves. Trouble is, even when JC walks the walk, he can't talk the talk. Vocally, he still relies on the sort of treacle-laced sound and affected delivery that reveals he hasn't outgrown his boy-band roots. Lyrically, he's not much of a mack daddy either, judging by rhymes that range from laughable ("She's such a sexy dame / I just can't control my thang") to lamentable ("When I'm all alone / I lay awake and masturbate").

Don't get us wrong; Schizophrenic is a fairly listenable effort, especially from a boy-band balladeer. But if JC wants us to end up as more than a forgotten teen-popper, he's going to have to do better.

Hip Online Schizo Review
(3/13/04) Rae Gunn Hip Online (thanks Eva!)

Corporate Line:
Introducing the aptly-titled Schizophrenic, an age-appropriate and surprisingly different sonic venture for the 27-year-old grown-up JC Chasez. Anyone who paid attention to Chasez's recent collaboration with electronic wünderkinds Basement Jaxx ("Plug It In" from Jaxx's latest, Kish Kash) or Chasez's solo debut on the soundtrack to Drumline ("Blowin' Me Up (With Her Love)" has an idea of the diverse musical tapestries that Chasez's debut solo effort covers. Make no mistake about it: Chasez's signature harmonies and lyrical style are here, but Schizophrenic dabbles in a wealth of genres (New Wave, techno, Latin rhythms, soul, R&B, and even reggae) that showcase this superstar's wide-eyed musical vision.

The Good:
“She Got Me” – Chasez has one thing to say; “Look out Justin!”
“Mercy” – Typical pop-the difference? It’s good. It has surprising depth and Chasez proves he’s not just a back-up singer.
“Something Special” – Barebones and infectious with an itch that can’t get scratched-the sort of itch that is painful yet pleasurable.
“Shake It” – There are occasions when Chasez brings corny aspects of his past yet he shakes it all off to offer the deepest post-‘NSync track to date.

The Average:
“Some Girls (Dance With Women)” – Slow, sexy and laid back and sexy enough to keep kids interest.
“Everything You Want” – When did Sting change his name to JC Chasez. Chasez offers up a dead ringer for a Police song.
“Build My World” – A cross between the Bee-Gees and his boy band days.

The Ugly:
“All Day Long I Dream About Sex” – Chasez is trying way too hard to shake that boy band moniker and this over-the-top bad excuse of an 80’s new wave song is boring.
“Come To Me” – Chasez must dream about Orgy or has been tempted of late by new wave. It isn’t heavy and it isn’t deep-it’s a puddle with a lot of junk thrown in.

Frankly: You can take the boy out of the band, but you can’t take the band out of the boy. Actually JC Chasez has danced further away from his boy band days than Justin Timberlake. Many will be surprised to find that Chasez has released an album that dances circles around the acclaimed Timberlake solo release. To bad he wasn’t as pretty as Timberlake because he might get as much attention.

Spears show better suited to Chasez's new album
(3/13/04) Pamela Sitt Seattle Times

...Last night's (Britney Spears concert) was high on spectacle and low on substance, veering crazily from burlesque to fairy tale to peep show. Perhaps it would have been better suited to fellow pop star JC Chasez's new album, "Schizophrenia..."