Back when Justin Timberlake broke away from *NSYNC, he traded in his boy band brand of pop for the “hip-pop” of the moment heralded by the likes of Pharrell Williams. As part of the Neptunes, Pharrell aged JT’s sound, giving him more mature numbers such as “Like I Love You” and “Señorita” with which to break hearts. Funny how the formula is reversed on “Brand New,” one of the tracks from Pharrell’s upcoming G I R L album, which Butta and D-Money reviewed in our most recent SoundTable.
Timberlake’s presence adds another layer to the already smile-inducing pop offering. Featuring funk guitar that would fit well with some of the tunes from Michael Jackson’s Off the Wall and happy, blaring horns, the sometimes indistinguishable duo trade hypnotic “my loves” back and forth before declaring “You’ve got me feeling brand new/Like the tag’s still on me.” Not a totally mindless jam, Pharrell at one point delivers a John Legend-style run, while the “Good mornings” that take us to the bridge make a nod to the pairing’s aforementioned collabo, “Señorita” (“Gentleman, good night/Ladies, good morning”). With this entry, G I R L is shaping up to be a hotly copped set.
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