On the subject of Timberlake, and utter bewilderment

[pensnest]

Am I going completely mad? I *swear* I was listening to track #11 on 20-20 pt 2, and it was a rather lovely little song with actual melody and actual singing, about having a pair of wings and flying away, and I clicked on it to listen again and it is a completely different song now. I—what? What?

What?

Seriously—a Timberlake song I want to listen to again has disappeared into the ether. What. The. Hell?

Am now thoroughly unsettled.

ETA: ah, right. Hidden track. Hidden track I cannot extract and play on its own, or buy as an individual track from iTunes. Screw it. I'll listen to it on YouTube in future, if I can be bothered. Why does anybody do this?

On (more or less) the subject of J Timberlake, there is a school of thought that says he should give up acting with which I cannot wholeheartedly disagree. I thought he was superb at the VMAs thing, and it seems a pity, really, that he hasn't been touring as a singer for such a long time when he's good at that. Not that his music is My Thing, at all, really, but still. Acting-wise, I quite enjoyed that rom-com he did, and I have fond memories of watching The Social Network at Camp, with outi bellowing "Douche!" every time 'Sean Parker' was onscreen. (I'm not entirely convinced he was acting in that role anyway.) Otherwise, I have to admit I haven't seen most of his acting roles, they've tended to be in films which are utterly devoid of appeal to me quotient, so I don't feel entirely qualified to judge whether he's any good or not... but he *is* good in concert.

Comments

[chalcopyrite]

I hate it when people do the hidden-track thing, and so many artists/labels/whoever seem to be doing it of late. I guess it's a way of sneaking Something Completely Different onto the album, but still, I wish they'd just make it its own track.

[pensnest]

Honestly, I thought that kind of thing went out with the '70s. There were clever little tricks you could do with vinyl, although not extending to an entire track that goes unlabelled...

When I'm less cross about the whole deal I may, possibly, go about extracting it and giving it its own track label. But I think my decision about buying/not buying the album is settled!

[watervole]

Hear hear! If I'm paying for something, I want easy access to everything I've paid for.

[rikes]

Haven't had time to listen to Justin's new album much yet, but have been trying to get tickets for his gig in Helsinki in May. No luck so far and I won't be heartbroken if I don't get to go because I'm not that into his new music, but he is a good live performer, so.

[pensnest]

I'm definitely not a great fan of Justin's solo music - something to do with the balance between melody and production being in quite the wrong place for my taste. I do remember hearing I think she knows for the first time at a live gig and liking it very much, but nothing on the 20/20 pt 2 grabbed me like that except, sigh, the hidden track - which I cannot buy on iTunes except as part of the album. Hmm.

[sperrywink]

I rather imagine, even with the millions made in music, making money acting at his level is an easier gig. I can't see him giving it up.

Hidden tracks are so annoying! Especially when they put 8 minutes of dead air beforehand. Annoying!

[pensnest]

I can understand why he'd *enjoy* acting, I do myself. I don't even know whether he's capable of doing it well or not, as most of the films he's done are films I have *no* desire to see.

Hidden tracks are *silly*!

[sperrywink]

He did all right in that baseball movie with Clint Eastwood- my friend oriolegirl is a baseball fan and wanted to see it. I didn't even know Justin was in it, and exclaimed out loud when I saw his name in the credits. *g*

[puszysty.livejournal.com]

Re: hidden tracks - Make a copy of the song, rename the copy. Set original to stop playing after the official song, and set the copy to start playing at the time of the hidden track. Then you can listen to them separately. :)

[pensnest]

Yeah - when I stop being cross about it, I might do that... but I'm damned if I'll buy the album!

[kira-j.livejournal.com]

OMG I'm so glad you listened to it!!! I love hidden tracks! It truly was hidden too like I didn't know the tracklist before so when it came on I was all like whaaaaaaaaaaat &hearts_♥ hidden tracks are the best invention ever!!! Have you never come across them before? I'm so glad it was a surprise for you! Noone cares about them anymore coz they're so common but they still make me happy!

I don't want Justin to stop acting ever!!! Especially because it irritates so many people ha! I haven't read that article, I've avoided any reviews on his stuff because too many people come across sexist/homophobic when they mock his voice. He has a soft voice, so what! I like that about him.

He's paying his dues in Hollywood that's all. A good director will take a chance on him one day trust me! He's managed to get on a Coen brothers film! He might get offered better roles after that.

[pensnest]

'Pair of Wings' is easily my favourite track on the album. Sadly, it remains true that what Justin is doing musically these days just isn't my thing, generally speaking. I don't like the balance between melody and production—that, incidentally, is why my favourite Nsync album was No Strings, not Celebrity.

But I was listening and doing something else, which is why I didn't realise I was hearing two tracks instead of just one... I had heard of hidden tracks, but I didn't realise people still did that stuff, I thought it went out in the '70s! (Ahem. I don't buy a lot of modern music.)

I tend to find that the same thing happens with the films that Justin is in - he does a lot of films that simply don't appeal to me at all. I've long thought he would be really good in rom-coms, something light and fluffy, because he's so good on SNL, and I thought he was fine in - wait, it'll come to me - 'Friends with Benefits'.

He's famous, and he's also in the "love him or hate him" category for a lot of people, so he comes in for a lot of abuse. But then, he does do some very dubious things on occasion, so it doesn't surprise me one bit.

[kira-j.livejournal.com]

No way! We're definitely on the opposite ends of the spectrum here lol. Celebrity's my fave nsync album! I agreed with all the single choices too!

I read recently that he would love to play a villain like Riddler!!! I WOULD DIE OMG CAN YOU IMAGINE??? I remember getting so mad at trumpeterofdoom for imaginary casting him as two face!

[msktrnanny.livejournal.com]

I need to send that girl a fruit basket!

[kira-j.livejournal.com]

LOL trumpeterofdoom forever right about everything ^_^