Timbaland’s production has been a hip-hop staple for over a decade, but has been especially difficult to avoid recently. His deep kick drums and slow, sweeping melodies have helped Justin Timberlake to be crowned the new king of pop and have made Nelly Furtado’s last album worth listening to.
Even if you haven’t been near a radio in the past few years, you’re likely to have heard his work on a Missy Elliott track, or maybe backing Ludacris or Ginuwine. It is equally likely that when you heard it you started moving. Timbaland can be depended on for solid, danceable, rap records, so it’s no surprise that his latest venture, “Timbaland Presents: Shock Value,” contains several floor fillers. What is surprising, though, is who is featured on the album and the way these cameos are placed.
Timbaland’s distinctive thump spans the length of this album, and while he raps on most of the tracks, this record is really a showcase for Timbaland’s production talent behind an all-star group of guests. “Shock Value” starts out with a healthy dose of the recent beneficiaries of Timbaland’s work, Nelly Furtado and Justin Timberlake. Both are featured on the album’s first single, “Give It To Me,” in which Timberlake accuses Prince of being jealous of his recent success, and Timbaland asserts his position as the producer to beat like Dr. Dre did in “Still D.R.E.” Dre later makes an appearance alongside Timberlake and Missy Elliott.
50 Cent and Tony Yayo bring their usual “We’re hard. Don’t mess with us” rhymes to the table, and Magoo’s familiar moniker is on the credits for “Boardmeeting,” which closes the straightforward rap section of the album. The second half of “Shock Value” is a little more adventurous, and the results aren’t always pretty.
As if the cast of characters was not yet diverse enough, Timbaland enlists the help of some unlikely characters in the latter tracks, and while most of these work out to some degree, a few miss the mark completely. Timbaland’s bassy voice, perfectly at home behind Justin Timberlake’s on “My Love,” sounds awkward on “One & Only,” an ill-advised collaboration with Fall Out Boy.
Timbaland’s efforts fail to make She Wants Revenge more interesting, and his song with One Republic feels bland and recycled. The second half is saved by a surprisingly dance-friendly, if short and manic, song with The Hives, and the closer, which features Elton John’s piano playing.
“Shock Value” as a whole provides Timbaland fans with a good sampling of the acts that have made his production legendary, as well as a few names to avoid on future projects. Put it on next time you see a drowsy dance floor, and keep an eye out for the remixes.
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Timbaland debut a good sample of legend’s skill
Daily Emerald
April 4, 2007
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