I think everyone is trying to determine what they make of this new era of Justin Timberlake. In my opinion, "Suit & Tie" was a novelty necessary to break back into the mainstream where songs like "Harlem Shake" and "Thrift Shop" reign. Last night on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, we got another glimpse into the meat and potatoes of where Justin wants to take his career. Like Monday night's "Pusher Love Girl" Late Night performance, we see a more relaxed Justin, rocking a sweater and blazer rather than the "Suit & Tie" tux. The musicality and artistry is apparent as he sports four background singers and a large band with a mean two-step. The supporting players, aka The Tennessee Kids led by musical director extraordinaire Adam Blackstone, only add to the depth of the song, in the same way that the Dap-Kings enhanced and magnified the genius of the late Amy Winehouse. When talking with friends about FutureSex/LoveSounds we speak of it as a whole album, not a collection of two singles and filler. Having tracks like "Mirrors" alongside cuts like "Suit & Tie" gives me hope that The 20/20 Experience will be holistically memorialized in the same way.
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